Venom Tastes Sweet
by OpheliaMarie13
Summary: Gwen is gone. Peter is alone. Until he finds a fellow orphan. A girl named Naveen Briar who prefers her mother's name "Kindra." But Kindra's unstable conditon and her extreme intelligence makes her a lethal person, perhaps even a threat to Spider Man. Rated T for breif lang and half lemon. O.C/Peter
1. Chapter 1

**Hi ho, lonleylover13 the author here! Some of you may know me as the author of Finnick's Angel (if you're a HG fan and haven't read it I suggest that you do) and other's may have just come here cuz you're a comic book nerd/fan/movie watcher. I'm not a hardcore comic bookworm but I do enjoy them. Now then, please forgive me if I get facts wrong. My knowledge of Spider Man comes only from the movies, Google, and a friend-of-a-friend's-cousin's comic books. The personality of my Peter P./Spidey is more like Andrew Garfield's version than Tobey Maguire's. (Sorree Tobey!) I've had this fic for a long time not knowing if I should publish it. But in honor of The Amazing Spider-Man coming out today (I already saw it!) I decided to publish this. After watching TASM I made some slight changes to my story. I always imagined the SM in this fic as Andrew Garfield. So without anymore distractions- SQUIRREL! *snaps back to reality* ****I give you my hopefully-not-so-bad fanfic!**

Chapter One- Peter Meets Naveen

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

Time passed. _She's dead_. Life moved on._ She's dead._ But my world remained in slow motion._ She's dead._ Aunt May tried to help me. _She's dead._ The Guidence Councler tried to help me. _She's dead._ Everyone tried to help. _She's dead._ But after awhile they ignored me, as I did to them. _Gwen Stacy is dead._ Summer passed and senior year came. It wasn't until the first golden leaf hit the ground that I really believed it. And it wasn't until I entered the school doors that I accepted it.

_Gwen is dead. You loved her, and because of you she's dead._

* * *

... NAVEEN BRIAR ...

* * *

New foster home. New "loving" family. New clothes. New school. New set of mean girls to pick on the way I dress. My stutter. My hair. My glasses. In the world of new that we live in I go back in time. I read Shakespeare. I listen to Bethoven on my iPod. Some days when I miss them too terribly I dress retro.

_Bullet hits flesh. Flesh hits blood. Blood hits snow. Snow gets stained. Tear stained cheeks. Black and white walls. Zebra print heels kicking me in the gut. _

"GEEK. You are a geek Navin! You stutter too much. No one popular would ever talk to you except to tell you how uncool you are. You are _such_ a loser. You will never be loved. You will never be kissed. Only a drunk brain washed nerd would even look at you." She'd said.

So far she was right. But tomorrow is my first day at a new high school. Maybe someone there will be nice enough too me. Or at least not beat me up.

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

"It's him." A blonde girl whispers to her friends. "His girlfriend was kil-"

"Hey Parker!" Someone shouts to me. A locker door slams. A group of friends hug. A paper airplane wizzes past my head. All of my spider senses are picking up everything around me. It makes it hard when I want to be left alone. But ear buds help. I turn the volume up so loud my brain vibrates in my skull. I pick up the schedule I'm going to use for the rest of my high school existance. After one more year I will leave this place and never return. Thank God. The day goes by. Nothing but rules. Guidlines. Lies that they know we won't follow. I sit alone at a table for lunch. A few girls whisper and point at me. Smiling and waving. Flirting?

"Watch it!" One of them says to a girl. Blonde hair, blue-green eyes like you wouldn't believe, long legs hidden behind baggy jeans, green hoodie, glasses. Like the kinds I used to wear, only the glass is a bit thicker. I can pick up all of these things in micro seconds.

"S-s-sor, sor-" She begins.

"W-w-w-what?" The flirty girls asks. "C-c-c-an't hear y-y-you." A few kids begin pointing and snickering. The girl with glasses tries again.

"I-I-I-I-I-I didn't-t-t. M-m-muh-mean t-t-to..." She definatly has a stammer, stutter, whatever it's called. The mean girl- I think her name is Kimberly- keeps mocking her.

"Muh-muh-mean to what?" She asks. The other girl shakes her head. "No? No what? You're _not_ sorry? Well then." The whole lunch room is gathering around, like it's a fight. But it is I guess. I walk over too.

"P-p-p-p-please." The glasses girl says. Kimberly socks her right in the nose.

"What's going on?" I ask a freshman.

"The girl with the glasses is Naveen. She spilled something on Kim's purse. It's an all-out chick fight!" He says. Kimberly pushes Naveen to the ground, steps on her back, and grabs her by the hair.

"Wow. You have hanous hair. You are so fugly. I don't even need to pick on you." She says. Kim picks up Naveen and pushes her into the wall. Hard. Naveen begins crying. "Awww. A little crybaby huh?"

"Hey, hey, hey. Stop it okay?" I ask stepping in. I'm not quite the loser I was before, but I'm a normal person. Kim steps aside and people begin walk off. "Leave her alone. Alright?" Kim can't really hurt me, since there was the whole gender difference thing but she still gave me the evil eye. I put my arm around Naveen's shoulder. "You okay?"

"I-I-I-I-'m fine." She says.

"Bitch." Kim spits to he back. Naveen bursts into tears again.

"This always happens. It aways does." She sobs.

"Hey it's okay." I tell her. She looks at me. "I was bottom of the food chain before. NOT that I'm saying you're loser or anything-"

"No I am. I'm a stupid orphan girl shipped from foster home to foster home. My new parent don't give a shit about me. And I already have an appointment with the guidence councler that I'm late for." She says wiping her eyes. But I'm still struck by what she said. She's an orphan. Like me. "S-s-s-sorry. I-I-I have t-to go now..."

"Peter." I say. "Parker."

"Naveen Briar. But my friends call me Kindra, well if I had friends they would." She says.

"Then bye Kindra." I say smiling.

"Bye." She says walking away.


	2. Chapter 2

**LALALA! Welcome back my lovelies! BEFORE YOU READ CHAPTER 2 YOU MUST READ THE FOLLOWING! This fic is very loosely based off the the comics, I cannot emphasise (i can't speel) LOOSELY enough. This is more on The Amazing Spider-Man movie. DON'T HATE ME! Also, Gwen is dead which can only mean the Capt. Stacy is dead. *sobs* Poor Peter! Everyone around him either dies or ends up in some sciency-chemical concotion turning them into a villian!**

Chapter 2- Deeper

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

"Nobody loves me,

Nobody cares,

Nobody picks me peaches and pears,

Nobody offers me candy and cokes,

Nobody listens and laughs at my jokes,

Nobody helps when I get in a fight,

Nobody does all my homework at night,

Nobody loves me,

Nobody cries,

Nobody thinks I'm a wonderful guy,

So if you ask who my best friend is, in a wiz,

I'll stand up and tell you that _Nobody_ is,

But yesterday night I got quite a scare,

I woke up and Nobody _just wasn't there._

I called out and reached out for Nobody's hand,

In the darkness where Nobody usually stands,

Then I poked through the house, in each cranny and nook,

But I found s_omebody_ in each place that I looked.

I seached 'till I'm tired and now with the dawn,

There's no doubt about it,

_Nobody's gone!_" I read out loud to the class. Go figure that my langauge teacher would ask me to read this. At least with it being a poem and all I didn't stutter as much. In this class, of course, is Kim and her group of She-Devils, that guy Flash who keeps picking on me, and oh, look there's Peter. The only person who's been nice to me in three years just listened to me read the most depressing poem of all time. So much for having a friend.

"Thank-you Ms. Briar." Mr. Osko says. And of course he's the only teacher in the school putting us to work on day one. "That was 'Nobody' By Shel Silversten. How do you think the narrator of the poem felt?" Flash raises his hand.

"I think she was feeling like a loser." He says. _Ouch._ "Oh, I thought you meant _Navin_. The _writer_ of the poem? _Oh!_ Sorry Mr. Osko! I think the narrator was sad."

"Thank-you _Flash_ for your input." Mr. Osko says. _I want to die. I want to shrivel up and die._ "Anyone else?" Lola, one of the She-Devils raises her hand. "Yes, Ms. Wim?"

"I think the narrator was alone in life, so they made up an imaginary friend named nobody and then one day the narrator found out seventeen year olds don't have imaginary friends. So the narrator-"

"_Thank_-you, Ms. Wim. Anyone else?" Mr. Osko asks. "Okay, next question people. Who do you think 'Nobody' is?" Kimberly raises her hand. _Yay! This should be fun!_

"I think Nobody is the narrator. Because it's like a metyfire, right?"

"I beleive the word you are looking for, Ms. Evergreen, is _metaphor_. No, the narrator is not Nobody." Mr. Osko says. "Ms. Briar, you seemed to read that poem with a lot of emotion, care to comment?" _NononononononoNONO! I _do not _care to comment!_

"Well, um, uh, um." I can hear people mocking me already. "Y-y-y-you see. The-the-the author is t-t-t-trying t-t-to ex-ex-express-"

"I think what Naveen is trying to say is that this poem can be veiwed from many angles. You could say that Nobody is a person and Somebody represents mutiple people. Or you could simply say that Nobody is nobody and Somebody is Somebody. Either way I think that in the end the narrator finds at least one friend." Peter says.

"Yes, thank-you Mr. Parker." Mr. Osko says. He continues on leturing us while Peter smiles at me.

"Thank-you." I mouth at him.

"No problem." He whispers. The rest of the class continues. Some of the highlights: Kim passing a billboard-sized paper for me to see that reads 'Navin the loser,' Flash giving me a long descriptive poem about how he wants me to have his children (sample line: those dead fish eyes burn with passion), and Mr. Osko telling us that we have homework.

"Tonight you and a partner," He begins. _My least favorite word in the English langauge; PARTNER._ "Will find the meaning of each other's first names, and if you can find the meanings of their middle or last names those too. Then, write a report on how their name reflects into their personality." _Great. So is this going to be like the time a partner had to find my "inner self?" Then she decided that I am a slut or I would be if I weren't so FUGLY._ The bell rings, just when I think I can make it out of the classroom I feel a tap on the shoulder.

"Oh, Peter, hi." I say. _Thank-you stutter for not happening!_

"Um, Kindra everyone in that class hates me. So um-"

"S-s-s-s-sure. I c-c-c-can, w-w-where do I..." _I spoke too soon._

"I'll just give you my number, call me and we'll google it I guess." Peter says.

"Hey Parker, take a picture so it'll last longer huh?" Flash shouts.

"Here." Peter says handing me a scrap of paper. "Just, call me."

"Um, uh, yeah sure." I say. _Stupid stutter._ Peter begins to walk away. "Oh, uh, P-P-P-Peter?"

"What?"

"Th-th-the narat-t-tor of the-the p-p-poem did find at-t-t least one friend." I say smiling. He nods then smiles.

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

"Hello?"

"Peter, it's Kindra."

"Oh, hey you didn't stutter."

"It's easier for me when I'm not under pressure."

"Okay then, so did you find out what my name means?"

"Yeah. A rock."

"Seriously?"

"Yes, your name means rock. It's Greek." Kindra says.

"What about my last name?" I ask hoping for something more interesting than a _freaking rock!_

"Hmmm. Park keeper."

"It's offical, I have the lamest name EVER." I say. I can hear her laughing on the other end of the phone. "So my name means rock park keeper. Wow." She laughs again.

"What about me?" Kindra asks.

"Well I couldn't find anything on 'Kindra' so I tried 'Naveen Briar.' Your name literally translates into 'beautiful thorn.'"

"Thorn yes, beautiful no." She says automatically.

"I would have to disagree with that statment." I say. _Stupid, stupid, stupid._ There is a long and awkward silence.

"So is that it?" She asks.

"No! Are you kidding me? I have to write a report on you. We are doing questions and answers missy!" I snap jokingly.

"UGGGHHH! Fine. I get to ask first." She instists. "Who is Gwen Stacy?" _Crap._

"Where did you hear about her?" I ask keeping my voice steady.

"At school. Kim called me the Gwen replacement." Kindra says. "Well her exact words were; 'You know you're just his rebound until he gets over Gwen right? Not that you have anything for him to rebound _with_.' "

"Gwen was my girlfriend."

"Was?"

"She's dead. The Green Goblin killed her. Spider-Man tried to help but-"

"Next question, don't kill me, favorite color?"

"Red."

"Favorite food?"

"Basic American junk food you eat on the 4th of July. And New York style pizza."

"Music?"

"Pop and rock I guess."

"Ambitions?"

"Become a great photographer." I say leaving out _making NYC a safer city._

"Personal quote?"

"With great power, comes great responsibility."

"That's deep." She says. "Hero?"

"My Uncle Ben. He's dead now but he meant the world to me." I say very easily. "My turn. Favorite color?"

"Hmmm. Peach."

"Okay then, food?"

"Pop-Tarts." Kindra says. "Specifically cookie-dough but all around Pop-Tarts are gifts from the gods."

"Is that your personal quote?"

"Nope, that would be 'Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.' Dr. Suess said that one."

"Ambitions?"

"Become a medical scientist, but I aslo study in the feild of genetics science. And, if all else fails, become a doctor preferable a surgeon." She says with each of her words carefully selected.

"First off, wow. Second, you like science?"

"Even more than I like Pop-Tarts. And that's saying A LOT." Kindra says with a serious voice.

"Music?"

"Orchestra, indie-rock, and alternative."

"Anything else I should know?" I ask trying to hint at the tugging question 'how did your parents die?'

"I believe in mind-over-matter, Kindra was my mother's name, I've been classified as 'mentally unstable', I have 'episodes' when an event happens similar to my tramatizing childhood, the only part of myself that I like are my eyes, and I like making personal profiles of people that I meet." She says. Not mentioning her parents definatly means that I'll never know. "That all?"

"Wait, I forgot. Hero?"

"That's a toss up between Coldplay for bring amazing music to the world and Spider-Man for bringing justice to New York City." I burst out laughing.

"You sound like an advertisment." I say. I can hear a male's voice calling her name in the background.

"Sorry, for someone out of high school you'd think my new foster brother would know how to cook dinner. Bye Pete." She says hanging up. Now how am I supposed to translate that into 'beautiful thorn?'


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello, thank you to my kind reveiwers R.J North, Sally Fantastic, hayleytylers, and finchelfanfic4ever, just wanted to get that out there! Now I give you my next chapter!**

Chapter 3- The Truth About Kindra

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

"C'mon, you know you want to." Flash says.

"Shut-t-t-t-up and leave me a-ah-alone." I say trying to get around him.

"Just one PDA with Parker and I'll leave you two alone." He pushes. "Or PDI."

"P-p-p-please. M-m-m-e and Peter... We're not even friends." I tell him getting through.

"You like him though." Flash says. "Right?"

"Like I would t-t-t-tell you." I snap. "Just leave me alone."

"Fine. I'll just leave Kim to kill you." He says. Then I freeze where I am. I cannot blink. I cannot move. I begin making the awful choking sounds. "Navin?" _I'll just leave time to kill you. Bullet hits flesh. Flesh hits blood. Blood hits snow. NONOONONONONONONONO! Get me out of here! Please!_ I hit the ground. The twitching begins and the world around me is marred.

"Call 911!"

_You're weak. Your mother was strong but you are weak. You break easily. You've never been in love. You've never _been_ loved. You've been abused. You only know hurt but you're too weak to fight back. _

"What happened?"

_Screamingscreamingscreaming. Louderlouderlouder. Longerlongerlonger. Screamingscreamingscreaming._

"I don't know! She won't stop screaming!" My foggy mind reaches for the spot in my backpack, I pull out the needle and press it into my arm. The principal. Great.

"Move, everybody move out. Nothing to see here." She says.

"Hey Parker, take a picture!" _Click!_

"Give me my camera!" _Smash!_

Blackout.

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

_What happened back there? She was screaming and then she gave herself a shot. But why? _Suddenly I remember. "I have 'episodes' when an event happens similar to my tramatizing childhood." So what did Flash say to her? All day I'm jittery. Everyone keeps pointing at me. I hear rumors about Kindra that range anywhere from 'she escaped from an insane asylm' to 'she's an Oscorp experiement gone haywire.' In langauge everyone is whispering and talking. Flash keeps giving me the evil eye. Oh right, he doesn't like being smashed into lockers by nerds. Then the principal comes in. Great, now what?

"Good afternoon." She says.

"Good Afternoon Ms. Whitney" We say. High school brainwashes you.

"As I'm sure you're aware of this morning there was an incident involving Mr. Thomson and Ms. Briar." She begins. "What you're not aware of is that Naveen Briar was emotionally scarred as a child. Her mother died when she was 12 and her father became very abusive. She was put into foster care at age 14. Ms. Briar has had abusive parents in her foster homes as well as many bullies. After two suicide atempts Naveen was classified as 'mentally unstable' at age fifteen and was put into a mental instution one month later. Her troubles are gone but she still has sezuires. Her doctors are unsure why, but they happen often."

_When an event similar to my tramatizing childhood happens._

"So be warned, Naveen has scars that you can't see. I would advise that you try to be gentle with her." Ms. Whitney says. As soon as she leave the room the classroom is buzzing.

"I knew it." "She's emo. She only wears black." "What kind of a name is Navin anyways?" "Parker knows he was her studly buddy." "Knock it off Eugune!"

"People! People! PEOPLE!" Mr. Osko shouts. "Take out your homework from last night. Now then, Ms. Evergreen and Ms. Wim. You requested to go first."

"Okay Mr. O!" Kimberly says. "My partner was Lola. And her name means sorrowful. Her name meaning is like her because it is _sorrowful_ that there aren't a lot of people like her! That's all." Mr. Osko puts his head in his hands.

"Awww you're the best Kimmy!" Lola squeals. "Kimberly was my partner. Her name means ruler. And as you all know Kim is the ruler of this school. She keeps a firm hand and banishes anyone undesrible. She also rules over her friends keeping us in line so that we look our best!" Lola says. "I used a thesaurus!"

"Yes Ms. Wim. Lovely. Parker. You're up." Mr. Osko says. _Oh crap. Crap. Crap. Crap._

"My partner was Kin- I mean Naveen-" I'm intterupted by the door opening. It's her.

"Oooo! PDI! PDI!" Flash shouts.

"Mr. Thomson, go to the office, NOW!" Mr. Osko shouts. Flash gets out of his seat, then pushes Kindra at me before leaving.

"Just thought you two might need a little help." He says.

"NOW." Mr. Osko pushes. Kindra looks at me. It's a look I've seen before. She's scared, but needs me to save her. She walks slowly to the back of the room and sits in her desk.

"Help me." She mouths. I nod my head slightly.

"Naveen was my partner." As if on cue everyone in the class looks at her. Kindra keeps her eyes on mine. Everyone listens to me and studies her. She's the scupture, I'm the tour guide, they're the tourists hanging on my words. " 'Naveen Briar' translates into beautiful thorn. Everyone is beautiful in their own way. Some of us have physical beauty, some of us have inner beauty, and for some of us our beauty is in being cruel. But for Naveen it's hard to tell, maybe her beauty is in the fact that she doesn't fight back. Despite what people do to her she's still here. As for thorn, everyone is mean. But I think that Naveen is a bully to herself. If anyone needs to be easier to her, it's Kindra- Naveen. So really," I look up from the paper and stare her down. "She truely is a beautiful thorn."

"This is what I'm talking about people! This is the kind of work than I'm expecting from you. Thank-you Mr. Parker." Mr. Osko says. "Ms. Briar, your turn." She slowly stands up, in that strange robatic way that I've noticed. When she moves past me she whispers softly,

"Thank-you." She continues through her essay about how I'm a rock park keeper. Most of her words are stuttered or said quickly so they blend together and you can't understand her. But one thing I can make out is when she says, "P-Peter Parker is a rock-k. He-he listens. That's ah-ah-all you really need in ah-ah-a-a fr-friend." Yet when she sits down she seems to be avoiding me purposly. And all I can think is _Why?_

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

Don't talk to anyone. Don't look at anyone. Ignore Peter. Peter. Peter. Don't think about him. Tick tock. This is a clock. Do not think about Peter. Do not think about Peter. Do not think about what he is doing to get through everyone in the school and talk to you. Do not think about how everyone is pointing to you. Whispering about your glasses, your black hoodie which is pulled up to block everyone out. Just let the soft music of Bach fill your ears. Then pull on the sleeves to hide the scars that come up in light shades of pinkish purple on your wirsts. No amount of ScarZone can get rid of them. No natural remedies hide them, not even heavy duty makeup. So all I can do is tug on my sleeves and listen as the cello becomes extremely _legato_, _pocco_ _a_ _pocco. _

"Kindra!" _Listen to that svorzando..._ "Kin! Wait up!" _Peter, why so forte?_ "Kin-Dra!" _Okay, now I need to be presto._ Peter runs faster and I'm out the doors. But he STILL follows. "Kindra!" _Now I must be prestissimo!_ "Stop." Peter grabs my arm.

"WHAT?" I shout at him.

" 'WHAT?' yourself! You're avoiding me!" Peter says. He reaches out and pulls out my ear buds. _Jerk._

"Well, I kinda just had one of my 'episodes' in front of the whole friggin' school. I just thought that maybe you didn't want to be seen with me!" I blurt. "I'm not one to care about popularity, but most people are. So maybe we shouldn't be friends."

"Why? People are stupid. It's senior year. After this we're both out of this hellhole. Why not have a hell-mate?" Peter sugguests. He reaches out for my wrist and I decline instantly. I hold the edge of the fabric on my sweatshirt sleeve tightly.

"Sorry, I'm not used to people touching me." I explain. He shrugs.

"S'okay." Peter says. "Hell-mates?"

"Hell-mates." We shake on in and the sleeve stays put. Thank God. Now I can see the fancy black car pulling up.

"My ride's here now. Thanks Peter." I say. I'm about to get in when Harry gets out.

"Peter?"

"Harry?"

"You two know each other?" I ask.

"Wait, how do know her?" Peter asks Harry.

"I'm her foster brother." Harry says plainly.

"Wait," Peter turns towards me. "Norman Osborn is your- _foster dad?_" Peter asks.

"Yeah." I say furrowing my eyebrows together. "Is there something wrong with that?"

**...**

**I know I usually don't put notes at the bottom but this time I had to. I got the idea for this when _literally_ just yesterday I realized Harry wasn't in TASM. SOOO, you'll find out what the heck is going on here next chapter! *whispers to self* Ahhh Kindra, you don't know about your foster-daddy...**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank-you everyone for coming back! I know that his is really spinning away from the comic book now, I mean Flash is still a jerk, Peter's still in school. But I need a good plot. Okay? Oh well. On with the story!**

Chapter 4- Scars

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

"Peter?" I ask waving a hand in front of his face.

"Uh, bye." He says running off and jumping on his skateboard.

"That was weird." I say getting in the passenger side of the car.

"Yeah, Pete was always acting weird last year. Then dad pulled me to have me homeschooled and help with OSCORP so I haven't really seen him. " Harry says. "We were best friends. How do you know him?"

"First person in two years that's been nice to me." I say. Harry gets in and starts driving. "Is Dr. Osborn home tonight or are we having exploding mac and cheese again?"

"Hey, I wanted to try making my own dinner." Harry says smiling. "I'm not a scientist and yet I find a way to blow up everything I touch."

"My thoughts exactly." I say rolling my eyes playfully.

"Yeah, dad's gonna be home tonight. Bernard is making a fancy dinner." Harry says.

"Cool." I say selecting A Fine Frenzy in my iPod.

"Kindra," Harry says. I pull out one ear bud. "Please, just try to interact. And maybe you could wear something less..." He motions at my outfit stopping at a red light. "Black, baggy, and coving any showing skin." I growl at him.

"I'm uncomfertable when it comes to my body Harry, you read my list of problems when he took me into custody." I say sharply. "This is my way of dealing with low self-esteem."

"Why? You're blonde haired, tall, slim, don't even get me started on your eyes. It's that weird blue-green it's not mixed it's like sparks and-"

"Shut-up Harry! Shut-up!" I shout. Harry lock's his eyes on the road. Just like that my mood is instantly changed. I dig through my backpack and pull out the pamphlet. "And tell your dad that if he's going to have things like this in the house, don't leave them tacked up on the fridge." I toss it into his lap. Harry doesn't even bother to look at it.

"Did you take your meds today?" He says through gritted teeth.

"Just the seizure-helping crap. I don't do antidepressants or ADHD." I growl. Then I lower my voice. I'm almost begging. "They aren't seizures Harry. A seizure happens out of the blue. These only happen when something triggers it. An event similar to The Bad Days."

"There's only so much I can do Kinny." Harry says gripping the sterring wheel. He stops and buzzes us in. The gates open. He pulls into the garage. Then looks at the packet in his lap. " 'Dealing With An Extremely Troubled Child.' " He reads aloud. Harry gets emotional putting his head in his hands. When he looks up at me, his eyes are glassy. "What else do you expect him to do?"

"Leave me alone." I say slowly. "It's only until May, then I can live on my own. We can pretend like this never happened." I mean to sound angry but my voice slips and my nose starts running. I get out of the car and slam the door. My head is spinning, the morphine shot that I took still has a few drops left. I sink the needle into my arm. It provides very little relief but sends a cooling sensation over my body. I sit alone in my room. Finish my homework. Play games on my iPod. Let CAKE destroy my eardrums. Open up the curtains to my fancy blacony. Open the glass French doors and step outside. I put Beethoven on shuffle. _Happy place. Happy place. Happy place. Good thoughts. _I slowly unzip the front of my sweatshirt. _Start with those in the present, then move on to those in the past like the Guidence councler said.__ Okay, getting noodles out of Harry's hair. Haha._ I take a deep breath. Fermata, then pocco a pocco accelerando. _Peter stepping in for me yesterday. Peter- NO. No. Don't go there weak girl._ I slide one sleeve off my arm, then the other. _You are weak. Bullet hits flesh, flesh hits blood,_ _STOPITSTOPITSTOPIT! You are stong, like the singers' voices. See, your scars are showing._ They are. My sweatshirt is at my feet. The gardner can see me, Bernard can see me, Spider-Man could see me if he looked over here.

Spider-Man. Spider-Man? _Spider-Man!_ I can see him from my balcony, it's like Romeo and Juliet. If he were in love with me. Okay this is nothing like Romeo and Juilet, how did I even make that conection? Must be this balcony. But alas! There he flies! Tying up thy bandit yonder across from OSCORP tower. _I am so lame._ There's the web! My favorite part. I can see his red-blue figure weaving through the streets. I pull out my headphones. No music, no sweatshirt, no boundries. This will go into my collection of good thoughts. I do everything the Guidence Councler told me to do. Smell the air, feel the breeze, watch Spider-Man perch on the gates to our house-WHAT? I can't see his eyes under the mask but I know he's staring at me. I instantly look down putting both hands behind my back. I trace my thumb over the deepest cut on my left wrist. What's he doing here?

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

She doesn't seem hurt. In fact her sweatshirt is off, no headphones, just baggy jeans and a midnight blue tanktop. The look on her face sends the message that she feels free. Kindra smiles at me. Cocks her head to one side. Blonde hair flies across her face. She's safe and that's all that really matters. Then she laughs. Why is she laughing?

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

He doesn't know, that there is a pigeon on his head. He doesn't know that's why I'm laughing. When he does notice it's because the bird has left a gift on his head.

"Stupid bird." He mutters. This only makes me laugh more. "Get out of here!" He shouts as the bird flies away. I'm laughing so hard that I have to cover my mouth with my hand so he doesn't see I'm drooling. Then I think he gasps. My hand. _Shit._

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

Scars. Kindra's skin is so tan against the thick lines of purplish scars that they're easy to spot. He _is_ hurting her. I knew it. Then she shakes her head looking into space. She's cursing under her breath. Pulling on her sweatshirt, going inside. But there's something about the way she goes back into the house. She wouldn't go back in the house like that if he was hurting her. I know why. _She's doing this to herself._

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

_I awake to find, no peace of mind _

_I said, how do you live as a fugitive?_

_Down here, where I cannot see so clear_

_I said what do I know?_

_Show me the right way to go_

_And the spies came out of the water_

_But you're feelin' so bad 'cos you know_

_And the spies hide out in every corner_

_But you can't touch them, no_

_'Cos they're all spies_

Why did my iPod have to pick this song? I throw it onto my bed, run downstairs into the gym, punch the sack of sand in the corner an inch away from it's leather bound life. No matter what I do Coldplay rings in my ears.

_'Cos they're all spies_

They are all spies. Even Spider-Man. No, no. My mind begins to clear. They _aren't_ all spies. For example, Peter and Harry aren't spies. Harry, your brother- your _foster_ brother. Peter, your friend, your guy friend. Your crush. Rock Park Keeper with his hazel eyes and perfect brown hair and muscular body and- shit I'm in love. I'm an idiot.

"Hey," Harry says. "Dad's home."

"And I care," _Punch, puch, punch._ "Why?"

"Physical activity will only make you more angry." Harry says.

"What, is there a book on 'Living With An Extremely Troubled Sister' ?" I ask.

"No, I know from experience." He says. I stop punching. "I'll make a deal with you, secret code of the siblings." Harry knows how to catch my attention. I raise an eyebrow offically interested. "Any time that I find a book or a packet. I'll throw it in the fire. In return you have to stop wearing black baggy clothes."

"Where would I get new clothes?" I ask.

"You have a gold piece of plastic with your name on it collecting dust in your bedroom." Harry says. "And _I'm_ going shopping with you to make sure you buy the right stuff." I consider this for a moment.

"I'll make it a New Year's Resolution." I offer.

"But you have to dress normal for dinners and parties for OSCORP. And when Dad's home." Harry says.

"Make sure I don't have to take my meds and we have a deal." I say.

"You still take the shots to help the episodes and the other stuff when you really need it." He says.

"Deal." I say. And we shake on it. Only this time I don't cover my wrists. Harry knows. He's the one who caught me scar-handed. This is also a part of the deal. The unspoken law: Thy brother will not speakith to foster sibling about wrist slitting.


	5. Chapter 5

**I saw the movie in 3D again and it was EPIC! I screamed like five times! Got inspired! Now then, to answer questions (via PM); no I can't speel, yes my Spider-Man is AG's Spider-Man, no that does not mean that I'm basing looks off of him (the comic book rock park keeper had hazel eyes, tobey macguaire's eyes were to sensitive for colored contacts. like daniel radcliff keeping his eyes blue and j-hutch keeping his eyes brown), yes I'm in love with AG, no I'm not high, yes I love writing, yes before I met my husband I had an affair with Thor, yes Captin America is still in love with me, and no FOR THE 100TH TIME NO! DON'T MAKE ME CALL THE COPS!**

**Okie dokie then, got that settled out. On with the fic!**

Chapter 5- In Trouble?

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

"Naveen Briar, you're late." Mrs. Kyler snaps. It's first hour, yet Mrs. Kyler is wide awake ready for fresh student to critisize.

"I'm sorry Mrs. K, it's just-" Kindra begins. But she drops all of her books, papers, and volin case. The class laughs as Kindra struggles to gather her things. She pushes her glasses up her nose. Mrs. Kyler rolls her eyes.

"Class, in two months there will be a feild trip to OSCORP tower for the top ten students who score highest on a test. I will not tell you what the test is about or the exact date. This will test how smart you _really_ are." Mrs. Kyler says. _OSCORP. I have to fail that test._ "Now then, please open up your textbooks to page thirteen, paragraph six."

"Hi." Kindra says smiling at me sitting down. She opens up her textbook. "Crap. I've already read this. Different school, same textbook. Go figure."

"Naveen, please stand up and tell the class what was so important that you had to interrupt Mr. Parker's learning." Mrs. Kyler asks. Kindra stands up, twidles her thumbs, pushes her glasses up her nose, pulls down on her sleeves so that only the tips of her fingers showing. _Because she cuts herself. She covers her wrists because she cuts herself._ Mrs. Kyler taps her foot. Kindra pushes her glasses up again, blinks a few times like a rat coming out of its hole.

"I-I-I-I-I've already gone c-c-cover to c-c-cover with this t-t-t-tex-text book. In another sc-school." She stammers. It's strange, she's like two different people. To teachers she's Naveen Briar, the poor foster girl with a stutter. And to me she's just Kindra. _The girl who cuts herself._

"Oh really?" Mrs. Kyler asks. "What is this chapter on Ms. Briar?"

"Physics." Kindra says without any hesitation whatsoever. Mrs. Kyler glances down at her teacher's copy.

"Give me two examples of interdisplinary research that physics intersects with." She presses.

"Biophysics and quantum chemistry." Kindra says not even breaking a sweat. Mrs. Kyler takes a deep breath. Oh boy. It's a teacher against student smack-down.

"Name some significant contributions through advances in new technologies that arise from theoretical breakthroughs in physics." Mrs. Kyler says. She is determined to win.

"Electromagnetism, thermodynamics and nuclear physics." Kindra says. "Also, the advances in nuclear physics led directly to the development of new products which have _dramatically_ transformed our modern-day society. These are technologies such as televisions, computers, domestic appliances, and nuclear weapons. Advances in thermodynamics led to the development of industrialization. And advances in mechanics inspired the development of calculus." You could hear a pin drop. Someone claps. Then everyone else joins in. Even I give Kindra a round of applause. She looks around, as if amazed at the fact that we're impressed by her knowledge. Is she really that _innocent_? She's so smart that she can't understand how an F student sees her as extraordinary. Kindra has gone from stuttering interupter to science freak in seconds.

"Naveen, you are to sit in the hallway until the end of class. I will be making a phone call home. After class I will take you to the principal's office, where you will sit for the rest of the day until I can speak to her about this. Understood?" Mrs. Kyler snaps. Kindra jumps back a little bit, slowly nods her head. She swollows hard, and heads out into the hall. _Ouch. Science Teacher: One. Beautiful Thorn: Zero._ Mrs. Kyler goes on with the lesson predending not to hear kids in the hall making fun of Kindra. The bell rings and it couldn't be any later. I head out into the hall.

"Hiya." Kindra says smiling at me through her thick glasses. She seems like such a child, staring up at me in the hallway for being bad. She's even sitting cross-legged. It's so funny I burst out laughing. Kindra makes a frowny face at me and speaks in a childish voice. "I didn't do nothing. That science teacher is a meaner." That makes me laugh harder.

"Peter Parker, I sugguest you go to class _now_." Mrs. Kyler says to me pointing to the left. My next class requires me to go in the opposite direction but I don't dare argue. She picks up Kindra grabbing her by the arm and pulls her throught the hallway. Kindra looks back at me again. Mrs. Kyler tugs harder on her arm.

Passing Time: No Kindra.

Lunch: No Kindra.

Langauge: Still, no Kindra.

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

Right now they're probably warming up. I play with my fingers, keeping the sleeves well past my knuckles, itching to play my violin.

"I'm m-m-m-missing orchestra, c-c-can I play in h-here?" I ask one of the secretaries. She squints at me.

"You're _still_ here?" She asks. I nod my head. "Have you gone to any other classes today?" I shake my head. "Have you even _eaten lunch_?"

"I-I-I-I don't really have it anyways..." I trail off.

"Sure sweetheart, you can play your violin." She says. I pull out my violin and play Flight Of The Bumblebee as fast as I can because anything else would be to slow. I continue on playing Swan Lake just because I know some of the notes. I put both earbuds in and play violin along with Coldplay when needed. Then I just mess around with notes until I get bored then put it back in its case. I go back to playing with the fabric of my sleeves. I hope Harry knows I won't be keeping up my end of the bargain. No way I'll let people see my scars. They'll think I'm emo. But it's not like that... The bell rings. Everyone files out of the school. Peter walks in.

"Hi." He says sitting next to me. I give him a weak wave. "They still haven't let you go?" I shake my head and resort to sitting on my hands to keep them steady. My stomach is twisting like Spider-Man through the city of New York. _He saw my hands. He thinks I'm emo. _

"What did I do wrong Peter?" I ask. My eyes well up. Great I'm going to start crying. A big tear is about to tumble down when Harry and Dr. Osborn come in. I stand up immidiatly and wipe my eyes. Peter, however, stays sitting and seems to be having a staring contest with Norman. "Harry, Dad what are you doing here?" I almost spit after saying "dad" to Dr. Osborn. He looks away from Peter smiling at me.

"Naveen, we got a call from the school saying that I was to come here. Harry came with." He says. Peter still stares at him with that look on his face, the kind I have before twitching and screaming bloody murder. _Bullet hits flesh. Flesh hits blood. STOPITSTOPITSTOPIT!_

"Why did Harry come?" I ask.

"I wanted to see you get in trouble little sister." He says. I know he's just trying to lighten the mood, but I'm not really up for it.

"I'm not in trouble. Just ask Peter." I protest.

"You know Peter?" Dr. Osborn asks like I've commited a federal crime. Why is he so damn critical?

"Yeah, he's my friend." I say to him coldly. If looks could kill. (Not that looks could make it through my glasses.)

"Hello Peter." Dr. Osborn says all creepy-like. Peter nods as if frozen.

"Hello Norman." His voice sounds as if he's being choked.

"You may now see Ms. Whitney." Vice-Principal Morgan says. _He needs to loose that_ _toupee._

"Thank-you." Dr. Osborn says. I walk into the office slowly. The three of us file in quietly. Dr. Osborn plunks himself right between Harry and me. Great, now who's hand am I supposed to hold? Mrs. Kyler stands in the corner glaring at me. I slouch in my chair. _She hates me. She hates me._

"Dr. Norman Osborn," Ms. Whitney says shaking hands with him. "Thank-you for coming in to discuss your daughter-"

"I'm _not_ his daughter." I snap crossing my arms over my chest. "And he's not my dad."

"_Naveen_! I apologize for her behavior." Dr. Osborn says.

"As I was saying, we're here to discuss your daughter's science curriculum." Ms. Whitney says. I have no idea where she's going with this but I listen.

"In class today Naveen claimed to have already gone through the textbook we're working with. So I asked her about physics and she knew just about everything I knew and more right off the top of her head." Mrs. Kyler says. "What I'm saying is I cannot teach her. She was in an advanced class and there are no other teachers in this school that think they'll be able to educate her."

"So I'm not in trouble?" I ask.

"No, why would you think that?" Ms. Whitney says.

"Because you made sit in the office the whole friggin' day! Mrs. Kyler sent me into the hallway. I missed all of my classes, I wasn't even allowed to go to the _bathroom_!" I shout. "And you're telling me that this was only because I'm _too smart_ for you to teach me anything?"

"Naveen. Sit. Down." Dr. Osborn growls. "So what exactly is the plan for her?"

"Well, we were thinking that maybe we could send her to a community college for their sicence corses." Ms. Whitney says. "We would have to get that all arranged but because her science slass is first hour it wouldn't be a problem."

"I think I can do better than that." Dr. Osborn says. _He is so full of himself._ "What if I had Naveen work at OSCORP in the mornings? Then Harry could drop her off in time for her to get to second hour."

"I think that we can do that Dr. Osborn. Thank-you for your time." Ms. Whitney says. Harry and Dr. Osborn stand up and leave the room. Harry then walks back in and grabs me by the wrist, and pulls me out.

"So, I'm skipping first hour for daddy-daughter work time at OSCORP?" I ask still _very_ confused.

"Basically, yes. You'll be there working with Harry and I until you have to go back to school." Norman says. The three of us file into the car. I feel like the little kid again, sitting in the back alone. (Harry called shotgun)

"So what did you say to Kyler that pissed her off so much?" Harry says laughing a little bit.

"Nothing. She asked me to give me two examples of interdisplinary research that physics intersects with. So I said biophysics and quantum chemistry. Then I had to name significant contributions through advances in new technologies that arise from theoretical breakthroughs in physics-"

"Whoa, speak English. Harry stupid. You understand?" Harry jokes. But Dr. Osborn seems very interested.

"Naveen, could you continue?" He asks, still driving perfectly and keeping his eyes glued to the rearveiw mirror watching me talk.

"So I said electromagnetism, thermodynamics and nuclear physics." I say. "Then I also, remembered a few other things. Like how advances in thermodynamics led to the development of industrialization. And advances in mechanics inspired the development of calculus. Then that advances in nuclear physics led directly to the development of new products that have dramatically changed modern-day society. Then she got all mad at me. I don't understand what the big deal is. She asked me about physics, I gave her what I know about physics."

"Wow." Dr. Osborn says.

"What?" I ask. Why is everyone suddenly impressed with me? We pull into the driveway. Bernard take the keys and parks the car. I head up to my room, bored out of my mind with no homework to do. I pull out my violin taking my stress out on the strings. I play everything I know. Anything from Rolling in the Deep to Flight of the Bumblebee. (That's my stress song) Then I think of the Guidence Councler's advice: try to play slow songs to calm yourself down. I pull off my sweatshirt again. Leaving me in darkwash jeans and a Foo Fighters shirt. (I'n not one for rock, but I love them) Out on the balcony again. Then, I close my eyes and play the notes the best I can remember them. I have a better veiw of the world with my eyes closed, it's strange. The melody rings pure, sweet, and clear in my mind. I play the notes making sure to keep the pauses. Holding the neck ever so carfully and playing each tune with utter concentration. _Legato, legato like your life depends on it._ This is my lullabye.

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

I'm luck that today is such a slow day. Otherwise I couldn't be here, hiding in the bushes, listening to her play. It's a song I've never heard and she plays it in a way that tells you she knows what she's doing. I didn't know she played violin, I knew that she played piano, but not violin. Kindra moves her fingers from note to note, playing and pausing and holding everything out. When she finishes she sets her violin on the edge of the balcony and finds me.

"Spying on me again?" Kindra says it so easily that it's shocking. She smiles. "I know you're there." I slowly come out, fly over to her. "Well this is a surprise. My hero is watching me."

"What's your name?" I ask. _As if you don't know._

"Naveen." She says.

"You know that 'Naveen' means beautiful, right?" I ask. She blushes, reaches for her sweatshirt and pulls it on. Gripping the sleeves for dear life.

"Actually I did." She says. "I think you should leave now." _Oh right, she knows that I saw her hands._

"It was nice meeting you, Naveen." I say.

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

Then he leaves.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hellow! This story is going to be skipping around all over the place and I'm going to try and make chapters longer. Hope you enjoy!**

Chapter 6- OSCORP

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

Day 1 at OSCORP begins today. UGH. Everyone is just going to see me as "Dr. Osborn's Foster Kid" and not take me seriously. At least I won't be getting pushed around by Flash.

"Morning Kindra." Harry says to me. "Gray, that's a step up from black. Nice." I look down at my gray hoodie, black skinny jeans ripped up. (I had scissors and I was bored. They weren't made like that)

"My black one's in the wash. Don't make me regret wearing this." I say pulling my hair into a sleek blonde ponytail. I pull out four pop-tarts and stick them in the toaster.

"Are you going to eat all of those?" Harry asks when they're done.

"No idiot, I'm sharing with you." I growl.

"Well, then I love you." He says jokingly. I try to scowl but end up smiling. "Do you wanna start off in the 'just here cuz I was forced to' section with me?"

"Actually I've been assigned to 'Cross-Species-Genetics' by your dad." I tell Harry sounding supirior.

"Awww come on." Harry moans. Dr. Osborn walks in. "Dad, how come I'm in the stupid center and she gets to go hang out with Dr. Conors?"

"When you work at OSCORP because you're too smart for college then we can talk." Dr. Osborn says. He glances at my pop-tart. "What's that?"

"Food from the heavens." I answer. Harry backs me up with an off key choral 'ahhhh' in the background.

"That's 90% sugar and extremely unhealthy." Dr. Osborn says.

"Shhhh. You're hurting it's feelings." I say petting the frosting. Nobody rags on my pop-tarts. He shrugs then goes back to reading his newspaper.

" 'Lizard Released From Prison: Dr. Curt Conors Returns To OSCORP.' Well, we don't have to worry about him getting out of control do we? We have Spider-Man to portect us." Dr. Osborn says bitterly.

"Yeah, either that or Kindra will scare him into being normal again." Harry says with his mouth full. "With all her moodiness."

"You eat food from the heavens with your mouth closed big brother." I joke.

"What did you just call your sister?" Dr. Osborn asks. _Shit._

"Kindra, it's my mother's name." I say plainly.

"Oh, do mind if I call you that?" _Nevernevernever in a million years!_

"Fine." I snap.

"Well, Harry calls you that."

"So does Peter." Harry teases.

"Shut-up!" I say.

"So you and Peter are pretty close?" Dr. Osborn asks. _I wish._

"No! It's not like that, we're friends." I growl.

"Friends with benefits!" Harry shouts. "Oh Peter! You can call me Kindra!" He squeaks in a falsetto voice.

"Shut-up!" I shout smiling. Harry runs over to the piano banging on th keys.

"I'm going to write a song about you!"

"Stop it!" I push him out of the way. "I'm the piano master. Nobody touches this but me." I cover up the keys. "Why did you guys even have a piano here if neither of you play?"

"Decoration." Dr. Osborn says leaving the room. This new life is strange, having a piano because you have enough money to buy it just so it can collect dust as if it were a lamp. I see the gift of music, the Osborns just see something pretty.

"So, I'm working with the Lizard?" I ask Harry.

"Don't worry, he's had plenty of councling, help, he's back to normal. There are cameras everywhere." Harry says patting me on the back. His voice drops to a whisper. "Plus Spider-Man can come in and flirt with you again if anything goes wrong."

"How do you know about that?" I say acusingly.

"I can hear you batting your eyelashes." He jokes. I punch him in the arm lightly.

"Okay kids, let's go." Dr. Osborn says. The three of us file into the car.

"Thanks Bernard." I say when he opens the door for me. I plunk down, put Almost Lover by A Fine Frenzy on replay and crank up the volume all the way.

_So long my luckless romance..._ Yeah, if only I had a romance to be luckless with. _There's always Peter, if you weren't too shy to ask him out._ Like that's ever gonna happen. I'm just a fellow orphan friend to him. Well, I guess... I hope?

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

Any moment now, she's going to walk through the doors. Any second now. Black hood on, notebook in hand, violin case under one arm, even though she doesn't have orchestra until eighth hour. Okay, she's not here. Maybe she got her schedual changed. Yeah, that's it. It's going to be kinda lonley without her here. Listening to her iPod when Mrs. Kyler isn't looking. Smiling at me sometimes. Blue green eyes masked behind her glasses. And her eyelashes. Long and dark. And her hair in her face. There's always that one strand that falls perfectly into her eyes. Her hair's not exactly blonde, more honey colored, kind of dirty, with a little ginger in there somewhere. She acts like a ginger when she isn't one of her mulitple personalities. Wait, why am I noticing all these things? The perfect little details about her? Spider senses, or... The L-Word?

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

My labcoat smells like bleach. And not in the this-smell-is-really-strong kind of way, in the ouch-I-just-lost-my-sense-of-smell-but-I'm-still-going-to-sneeze kind of way. Sure enough I sneeze.

"Bless you." Harry says as we get into the elevator. It's 7:48am. Three minuets into class. I sneeze again. "Bless you." Sneezesneezesneeze. "Wow, how much blessing do you need Kindra?"

"It's these labcoats." I say. Then sneeze again.

"Bless you." Harry says smirking.

"If I sneeze once, I sneeze at least five more times in a-" Sneeze. "Row."

"Well, this is my stop." Harry says getting off the elevator. "Tell Dr. Conors I say hello." _Ding!_ The doors close. Alone. In a confined space. This wasn't a good idea. _Good memories. Getting noodles out of Harry's hair. Talking to Peter at lunch. Talking to Spider-Man. Playing my lullabye on the piano and violin. Kissing Peter. Kissing Spider-Man... FOCUS Kindra! FOCUS! You _did not_ kiss Peter or Spider-Man! But you wish you did..._ The elevator stops. People in lab coats everywhere. A rainbow of test tubes and flasks are everywhere. Also, my glasses seem to fit in just fine here. Everything is high tech and glass. I walk over to the office where Dr. Conors works. I slide my I.D. card that reads NAVEEN BRIAR OSBORN through the card reading thingy. The door unlocks.

"Hello, you must be Naveen." Dr. Conors says.

"Yeah, th-that-that's me." I say shaking his only arm.

"Norman has told me all about you." He says, walking around typing things into computers, holding up a flask to the light, touching the fancy touch screens. "You're here because you're too smart for school eh?"

"I guess so." I say shrugging. "I c-c-c-could've gone t-to a co-com-community collage but-"

"This is better for you. Tell me Naveen, what do you want to be when you grow up?"

"A m-m-med-medical scientist. Or even a gen-genitics scientist." I tell him. "If I can't though, then I'll become a d-doct-"

"Don't you see Naveen?" Dr. Conors asks. "You can do that. Now you're an OSCORP worker. You might not even need to go to college!" Suddenly it's clear. Dr. Osborn wasn't trying to get me to 'bond' with him, he wanted to help me get my career started.

"I g-guess so." I mumble. Dr. Conors nods.

"That's the spirit!" He says leading me over to a series of fancy gadgets and things. "You and I will be working on cross-genetics. As you probably know, my last study didn't work out so well with the reptiles." I glance at all of his work, animal profiles.

"Th-these-these are all good," I begin knitting my brows together. "But these are all an-a-animals."

"Your point being?" Dr. Conors asks confused. I push up my glasses.

"If you've covered all the Fauna, why not Fl-Fl-Flora?" I ask.

"You mean, cross-species-genetics, with a plant?" He asks.

"B-b-basically yes." I say. I push up my glasses. Tap the screens to bring up different pictures of plants. "I mean, plants are much smarter than we are in terms of survival. There was seed taken from the Egyptian tombs that was over 5,000 years old. It still grew. Humans wouldn't be able to go into that type of dormancy and still live. Transfer that into a human and we could take trips to far away planets. Redwoods regrow after fires. Trees go into hybernation in winter. A flower can keep re-blooming with pollination and some wildflowers can regrow their petals in just days." Dr. Conors nods his head.

"Would you like to do some plant profiles?" He asks. I shrug.

"Sure, I guess." I say. Dr. Conors laughs.

"You really don't know, do you?" He asks. I blink a few time, push up my glasses again.

"Know what?" I asks.

"Nothing, nothing." He says. "Try finding a few more of those superplants to profile."

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

Two seconds until the bell rings. I glance out the window and there's Kindra. Getting out of that black car. Harry waves good-bye to her, points to something on her sweatshirt. _Riiing!_ She glances down and unclips it. Just before putting it into her backpack I get a glance of what it is. An OSCORP badge. Kindra is working at OSCORP. This can't be good. Either it isn't, or it won't be.


	7. Chapter 7

**Welcome back everyone. ATTENTION: Did you notice the new cover? That's me posing at our good friend Kindra. I got bored and found an old gray hoodie. The "13" in my username got cut off but I don't really care. Told ya'll that I like photography. I did all the fancy stuff on the picture. You can't see it in the picture cuz it got cut off, but I had Kindra's thick glasses in there. I'm thinking of changing the cover later though. Then you can choose which one is better. Anyways hope you like it. I made it special for my fans. (I love saying "fans") Here's chapter 7!**

Chapter 7- Crossing The Line

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

"Hey there." I say walking next to Kindra.

"Oh, hi Peter." She says pushing up her glasses.

"So, um, where were you this morning?" I ask. _As if I don't know._

"Oh, I'm too smart for the science teachers. So instead of taking a science class I go to work at OSCORP." Kindra says smiling.

"So, you're like an intern?" I ask.

"More of an apprentice really." She says. "For Dr. Curt Connors." _This is bad. This is really bad. This is worse than I thought._ "Don't worry, he's been in reptile-rehab so he's fine now. Spider-Man can come and rescue me if anything goes wrong."

"Yeah." I say smiling. "Spider-Man!" I give two thumbs up.

"Well, advanced Calculus calls." Kindra says.

"Hey," I say. "You're wearing gray. And your jeans aren't baggy." She smiles and shruggs walking off.

"Laundry day!" Kindra shouts. _Oh shit. Shitshit. This is bad. This sucks. This really, _really,_ sucks. And I have gym. Great. Today keeps getting better and better._

"Parker," Flash hollars when I get to class. "Where was Navin this morning? She got sent to the office yesterday, I heard she wasn't in first hour."

"Shut-up, or do you want to try to take a basketball from me again?" I ask raising an eyebrow. Flash scowls.

"I'll make the same offer to you that I made to her." He says. "One PDA at lunch and you two are off the hook. Or a PDI if you're really-"

"Eugene!" The gym teacher calls. "Get back to your group." _Haha. Everyone is getting yelled at._ I glance out the window. Gray sky. Probably a storm tonight- Kindra? Getting in her car putting on her OSCORP badge.

"What the...?" I mumble. A basketball hits the back of my head and I'm caught off gaurd and I plummet to the ground.

"Parker, head in the game." The gym teacher calls.

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

"So now I'm too smart for calculus!" I say laughing. Peter laughs too but he seems like he's faking it a little.

"So two hours a day you're at OSCORP?" He asks.

"Yeah, Dr. Connors is really nice. I'm doing plant profiles now. We haven't found a plant for cross-species-genetics yet. It could be years. But Norman is going to find some of OSCORP's special plants that only _they_ have, so there's hope for the humans yet." I say. Peter nods. He pulls out his camera and begins snapping pictures of me. "What are you doing?"

"Getting pictures of our future valedictorian." He says. I cover my face with my hood and plug in the earbuds. "Come on! Today might be the only day you're not wearing black." He insists. I shake my head in response.

"Sorry, can't hear you." I say pulling out a bud, then putting it back in. I place both hands on the table and imagine I'm playing the piano. I close my eyes. My fingers glide over the keys, sharps and flats and all the notes in between.

"You play piano?" Peter asks.

"Yeah." I say keeping my eyes closed. "You can tell?"

"Kind of." Peter says. A basketball hits the back of my head but I keep fingering the table with my eyes closed. "You're really good at concentrating aren't you?"

"It's part of my musical therapy." I answer. "If I'm still playing the instrument I'm still in my Calm Zone. Keeping my eyes closed helps." I keep my fingering perfect. Striking the cords with complete focus.

"So violin and piano?" Peter asks.

"I also play xylophone." I tell him. He laughs. My song ends and I open my eyes an exhale. My headphones go back into my pocket. "Can you keep a secret?" I ask Peter.

"Sure." He says. I look out the window at the gray overcast. Probably a small thunderstorm tonight.

"Spider-Man keeps coming to my house and I don't know why." I say. Peter just stares at me. "I mean, sometimes he talks to me sometimes he doesn't. It's kind of cool though."

"Yeah, that's awesome." Peter says. "So what does he say?"

"Well, to tell you the truth he's flirt." I say pushing up my glasses. Peter laughs.

"A superhero is flirting with you?" He asks. I laugh, nodding my head. Peter bites his tongue for a moment. "I can see why." _Did he just- Or am I- There's no way that Peter would- Was he trying to say- HOLY CRAP!_

"You're just saying that." Is all I can say.

"No, really. You're nice." Peter says. _Nice you idiot. He meant that you are _nice._ No guy in his right mind, any mind, would call you pretty let alone beautiful._

"Thanks." I say. There's a flash of lightning that makes me jump, and a clap of thunder that shakes the table. I grip my sleeves and push up my glasses. "Thunder storm." I say smiling. It came earlier than expected. A few of the scared-of-the-dodge-ball girls grip onto their body-builder-boyfriends biceps looking for an appropriate PDA moment.

"You like thunder?" Peter asks.

"The rain. I love the rain. The way it feels on your skin, the way it feels in your hair, the coldness. The smell of rain." I say. "And if you're crying no one can tell but you."

"You can smell the rain?" Peter asks.

"Well, the cold really. You have to close your eyes to really smell it." I say thinking. "You can taste it too. Not the raindrops. If you inhale through your nose you can feel the air on your tongue and it tastes like rain. I also like the smell and taste after it's rained. Earthy and natural because everything from the ground has been brought back up again."

"Deep." Peter says closing his eyes and touching his heart. "Real deep Kindra." Another clap of thunder hits us and I look across the table at Peter who's pretty shaken up. All I can do is smile.

"That was _epic!_" I shout. The lights flicker and go out. We are left in black. The SOTDB girls scream. Suddenly I'm freaking out. The only lights we get are from the occasional lightning strike. I can't handle the dark. Not without something to hold onto. And with all this whispering it's too much of a reminder. _No one can see your blood in the darkness. No one can see you cry in the darkness. Sometimes they don't even hear you scream._ I fall backwards. I'm screaming loud and long but no one cares. I'm on the cold, cold ground. _Crazy? I used to be crazy. They locked me in a room all by myself. The floor was cold. The cold floor drove me crazy. Crazy? I used to be crazy..._

"Kindra." Peter's voice finds me. "Kindra, please. C'mon! Don't do this. You're stronger than this. You can do this." _No one has ever called me strong. No one has ever told me that._ "Please Kindra. I'm right here. I here. You can hold my hand. I'm right next to you." I utter some strange choking sound and nod my head even though he can't see me. I reach out, with my twitching hand, and interlace my fingers with his.

"Peter?" I ask when I can speak again. "Peter?"

"Yeah?" He asks.

"I-I-I just need t-t-to-to know you're here." I say gripping his hand tighter.

"I'm here." Peter says.

"Students!" It's a teacher with blowhorn. I don't know what teacher or what kind of blowhorn but it's a teacher with a blowhorn. "We are experiencing a blackout. Until it is over all classes are canceled. As part of this being a blackout; seniors stay here, juniors report to the gym, sophomores go to the basement and freshman in the auditorium. Those are you scheduled waiting spots. Remain calm. I repeat, stay calm." _Crap. I suck at calm. Don't think of knives. Don't think of kitchen sinks. Don't think of fire escapes. Don't think of broken glass. Don't think of how the thunder sounds just like gunfire. Think of the rain. I love the rain. I love mud. I love the smell of rain. How it feels on your skin. I like being soaked to the bone in seconds. I like when my hair is so wet it sticks to my face like glue. I like how my glasses get foggy and then I take them off. In the rain I can take off my glasses. Because the world is already distorted so people don't yell at you for bumping into them or laugh at you when you trip of nothing. Without my glasses I'm practically blind. But not in the rain. I can see clearly in the rain. Think of how you're holding Peter's hand. OMFG! You're holding Peter Parker's hand!_

"Do you want to try to stand up now?" Peter asks.

"Yeah." I say. Peter helps me off the ground. I'm still a little shaky so I give myself one of my smaller morphine shots.

"What are those?" Peter asks.

"My morphine shots. They help calm me after an episode or any time I really need to calm down really." I tell him. "Don't worry, doesn't effect my health. I guess there's nothing to do but sit and wait out the storm.

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

We're here. Sitting in the darkness. I can feel her next to me. I wrist is almost touching hers. My thigh is almost touching hers. I can feel her body heat radiating. Then it gets cold. It gets so cold that teachers have to hand out blankets. Kindra wraps hers around her shoulders every time there's lightning that blinds you and thunder like an earthquake she looks at me with her mouth open and shouts,

"Epic!" Or "Awesome!"

After about an hour she takes off her glasses.

"They hurt my eyes in the dark." She explains. Not me. Nothing hurts my eyes anymore. I can see crystal clear in this blackout. When she sets her glasses down I get a real look at her eyes. They're even more beautiful when they aren't magnified. There's even a rim of hazel around her pupils that I never noticed. In the dark, the green specks almost glow. Then her eyes are blue with the green and hazel. Kindra is pretty. She's really pretty. Maybe it's the grey hood but today she looks pretty and I never even noticed. Another hour passes and she begins twiddling her thumbs. With her hands getting twitchy again I'm worried that she'll have another episode so I enclose both of her hands with mine. I can feel how cold her hands are, even though the only real skin of her hands I'm actually _touching_ are her fingernails and her fingerprints. She smiles at me. We spend the next hour like that. Three hours have passed. School's over. Maybe we have to stay here until nighttime. That would be bad for me, for Spider-Man really. I start getting antsy and then the lights flicker back on. Kindra reaches for her glasses and blinks a few times.

"Well, I'll see you on Monday." She says. _But I don't want to wait until Monday. Can you call me? Or just come over to my house? We can turn out the lights and pretend it's a blackout. Then we can sit next to each other. Just sitting. I like sitting next to you. You could be a professional sitter._

"Yeah. Bye Kindra." I say.

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

No homework. Again. And I've got the house completely to myself. Even Bernard isn't coming back for a few hours. I'm not going to play piano or violin today. Fridays are my no-music days. No-music days are like no-alcohol days for an alcoholic so that I can find other "creative ways to calm myself down." I've had a few other "creative ways to calm myself down" but my therapist doesn't think they're "productive" enough. But today I'm lucky. Because of the rain. I slip off my gray sweatshirt. No iPod. No glasses. No hood to hide my hands and face. Just me in ripped black skinny jeans and a black cami. I open up the doors to the balcony. At first I shield my head. Then, slowly release all tension in my body and tilt my head up. I smile at the cold rain. I close my eyes. Smell the rain. Taste the rain. I reach up my hands as far as they can go. I shout. But it's a happy shout. I shake my head like a dog and my wet hair flies everywhere. The rain is awesome. I stare at the raindrops on my skin. I close my eyes feeling each drop of rain. One on my neck. Sliding off my nose. Through my scalp. Down my bra. I'm soaked. I might get pneumonia. I don't care. Each drop washes away a fear. _Drop: Knives. Drop: Being alone in the dark. Drop: Unrequited love. Drop: Cold floors. Drop: Everything else._ The morphine from earlier has no effect on me and I'm glad. I wouldn't want to numb out this moment in my life. I look up at the sky. I look at the roof hanging over a small spot of dry that I wouldn't go to in a million years now. The whole world is gray and green and silver and black and brown.

And red and blue.

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

Kindra.

Is even more beautiful.

In the rain.

She's beautiful. Not pretty. Not ugly. Not plain faced.

Beautiful.

Even looking at her upside-down she's perfect.

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

"We seem to keep finding each other don't we?" Spider-Man asks. As if on cue, lightning sparks around us. I smile and nod my head.

"It would seem that way." I say.

"So Naveen the beautiful. You're not wearing your glasses today." He says.

"I see better without them in the rain." I tell him. I look up at the spider silk suspending him so I face him upside-down. "Isn't all the blood rushing to your head?"

"No, not really." He says. "Why? Is my face red?" I laugh like I haven't laughed in years. The thunder hits the ground shaking me closer to him. _Just do it. Right now is perfect. If he doesn't want to then you'll be one of the few people who get turned down by a superhero._ Each raindrop on my skin excites me. My head is swirling. I reach out and peel down his mask. I stop before it reaches his nose. So he is human under the mask. He's someone walking the streets of New York City. And who knows? I might have tripped over him at some point in this past month of September. Now it's October. I can't believe the teachers didn't realize how smart I am until just yesterday. _Focus Kindra. FOCUS!_ My heart is thumping. I have no idea what's happening in my stomach. Butterflies? More like moths. Spider-Man smiles. He knows where I'm going with this. And he's not stopping me. I return his smile. I lean in and kiss him. _#$%^&?)*?_ I'm kissing a superhero. I'm kissing a superhero in the rain. I'm kissing a superhero upside-down in the rain. I'm having my frist kiss. His hands reach out to hold my face and I grab his neck. _There is a God! After all my years of torture he has _rewarded_ me!_ I keep kissing him in a way that's on the verge of "making out" but the sweetness in how he's holding my face makes it just kissing. I'm kissing Spider-Man. His lips are warm and he smells like the rain. His lips taste like the rain. He keeps kissing me. I don't want to stop. I want to keep kissing him until I can memorize this feeling of meshing our lips together. A bolt of lightning flashes and I feel like it's struck me. Spider-Man runs his hands through my hair. Then I remember that I have to breathe at _some_ point. So I break away from him. His hand stays in my hair. I'm gasping for breath. And he laughs. Releases his hand from my hair. _No. You keep your hand in my hair Bug Boy._ But then Spider-Man comes down from his upside-down-suspended-off-the-small-roof spot and lands on the ground the comes so close to me that my back presses into the edge of the balcony. One of his hands on my mid-back pulling me into him. The other back in my hair. I wrap my arms around his neck. We start kissing again. I suddenly realize how I've never been this close to another human since all the hugging at Mom's funeral. And I'm pretty sure that nobody had their tongue in my mouth then. My hip bones are touching his. I can still feel each raindrop on my skin. My hands move down and rest on his biceps. _Okay, this is making out._ He pulls away from me at the faint sound of sirens. I look back at him. He folds his mask back over his mouth signaling that we're done.

"Don't worry." He tells me. "I'll come back for you."_ For _you._ He just said he'd come back for_ you!

"I'll be waiting." I say smiling. "Call me Kindra."

"Good-bye for now, Kindra." He shoots a web from his wrist and he's gone.

**...**

***SQUEEEEEE* I'm sorry! I couldn't help myself. I can't even pretend to be upset with myself. As I'm typing this I'm smiling and giggling! I just wanted to make a thunderstorm and then Kindra and Spidey decied to have a little liplock. BLAME THEM, NOT ME! I gave this chapter the name "Crossing The Line" because they just crossed the friendship line. I also called it "Crossing The Line" because it makes you wonder what line is being crossed by who. That and if I called it "I Love The Rain" (that was the orignal chapter title) then you would KNOW that there was a huge make out scene in store. I'll give you the next chapter soon. SPINDRA! Oh yeah. I just did that.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Within two hours of me posting Chapter 7 I got two reviews. That makes me _very_ happy. Did you enjoy the last chapter? YOU BETTER HAVE YOUNG KUMQUATS! Oh yeah. I just did that. Enjoy the romance in the chapter because then Kindra goes BACK ot the lab with Green Goblin, Lizard, and all those OSCORP chemicals. Villians will come soon. ALSO: I recently noticed that I never gave a disclaimer.**

**DISCLAIMER: Marvel owns Peter, I own Kindra. IT _IS_ ROMEO AND JUILET AFTER ALL!**

Chapter 8- Drizzling

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

Harry thinks I'm on drugs. Norman thinks it's horomones. Ellie the maid thinks that a boy at school waved at me. Marcus the gardener thinks I gave myself an extra morphine shot. _Harry thinks I'm on drugs._ Hannah the other maid thinks it's alcohol. Only Bernard who simply said: "Kissing", came close to being right. Hours ago they all talked about it. Why I wouldn't eat. Why I was wet. Why I had that look on my face. Why I _still_ can't stop smiling. I heard them all talking about it near the fireplace like I was the stock market or some kind of celebirty. But none of them know. Even if I told them they wouldn't beleive me. Two years ago I met a girl named Emily who became my first friend since The Worst Days. Peter is the only person who's been nice to me since her. Emily told me; "The best way to get a guy's attention is to have a secret." Emily's secret was that she French kissed a boy in kindergarten. My secret was that I was a model for two weeks once. Now my secret was that I kissed Spider-Man. Every time I think about it it makes me giddy. I didn't just kiss him either. I kissed him in the rain while he was suspended upside-down from a web. Then he came down to make out with me. And when he left he said he'd come back _for me_. So now I'm tossing and turning, lying in bed. Wondering _when_ he'll come back for me. I glance outside. Still pouring rain. The sky signals that the rain will last all weekend. My headphones play the "Real Love" cover by Regina Spektor softly. I wouldn't in a million years want to drown out the sound of the rain. _Bullet hits flesh, flesh hits blood- no. Lips meet lips, hand meets hair..._ I go on and on in my mind. I look down at my clothes. No glasses, but even I can tell that I haven't even changed. I grab my gray hooded sweatshirt and pull it on, step outside. Wouldn't want to catch pnemonia. I'm probably going to get mono anyways... I glance up and answer the question bothering me all night long.

"I don't break promises." Spider-Man says coming down from the roof. It's still pouring out here. Just no thunder and lightning. Just the rain. I love the rain. Now I'm going to love it forever and ever and ever and ever.

"I missed you." I say smiling. I take another step towards him. I glance down at my hands, fiddling with the sleeves again. I look back at him. "This," I say holding out my sleeve-covered hands. "Is off limits. I don't like talking about this." He nods his head.

"I came here at like, seven? We made out for about... an hour?" Spider-Man asks. I giggle a little bit, pushing hair behind my ears."So I left around say, eight o'clock. And now it's midnight. You must've had _quite_ the last four hours." I laugh again.

"When you kiss a girl like that," I say. No stutter. Just me. "Every second away from the person who kissed her is _torture._" He snakes his arms around my waist. I feel the moths again.

"I've been thinking about you too you know." He says. "I punched a guy in the face and thougt:'Man, I can't wait to see Kindra again.' Then I backflipped and wondered: 'How does a girl get genetically blessed to have eyes like that?' Then I punched _another_ guy in the face." I keep laughing, laughing, laughing. Then I stop and gaze into his eyes. I never understood the term 'gaze' before. Emily tried explaining it to me since she was a year older than me with an ex-boyfriend with a British accent. _"It's like the whole world stops and it's just you staring at his eyes. It's like- You're stunned, and you can really see him for who he is."_ Now I know what she means. True, since this is Spider-_freaking_-Man, he's wearing a mask and I can't actually _see_ his eyes... But I'm pretty sure Em would classify this as gazing.

"What color are your eyes?" I whisper.

"Hazel? Why?"

"Just trying to picture you in my mind, that's all." He reaches to pull off his mask and- I stop him. "Your identity should stay a secret. It's important to you."

"Do you wanna go somewhere?" Spider-Man asks.

"Where?" I ask knowing exactly _how_ we'd get there.

"I don't know. I have a lot of hiding places." He says with a shrug. Suddenly everything is clear. My mind isn't foggy. There's just this moment right now.

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

I'd been thinking about her. I knew I should've waited until morning but I didn't want to. She'd been awake anyways. Waiting on the balcony even. She knew I'd come back. And just a few moments ago I was ready to give her my identity. Kindra. There's somthing about her that I can't get out of my mind. The way she's been hurt, the way she hurts herself, just makes you want to tell her everything and let _her_ see _you_ for a change. From the minuet Principal Whitney blew her secrets to now there was almost nothing else to know about her. Except the cutting. Maybe she'd done it a long time ago, maybe she'd done it a few minuets ago. But she didn't want to talk about it. I gave her that. Kindra, my beautiful thorn.

"Sure." She says smiling. I knew she'd accept. Kindra wraps her arms around my neck tightly. Being around her reminds me how much I've missed human closeness.

"Ready?" I ask tightning my grip on her waist. She nods. And we're off. Above the streets. Above everyone. I can't feel the rain anymore. But I can smell it. Just like Kindra said. It's mostly the cold and there's not too much Earth to be brought up in NYC, but it's the smell of rain. She holding onto me, she's not going to let go. Kindra is enjoying this, anyone could see that. She's smiling and looking down. However she keeps freaking out everytime that I switch my arm that's holding her so it's easier for me to shoot webs. "I won't drop you."

"I know. It's just hard, trusting someone." Kindra says. It's almost as if she _wants_ to break your heart when she speaks. Finally we arrive at hiding place #7: an abandoned (I don't know why) parking garage. I drop us off at the top level. "So this is one of your hiding places?" She asks walking around a bit.

"I have a lot of free time. New York is a big city." I say. Kindra walks over to the edge and sits with her legs dangling over. I sit next to her.

"So, now what Bug Boy?"

"What did you just call me?" She can't see it, but I'm smiling under the mask. In answer, Kindra smiles. "So, why do you live with Norman Osborn?"

"Foster parent. One of many." She says looking straight ahead. "I've been a foster child since fourteen. I'm seventeen, eighteen in May."

"Why a foster child?" I ask hoping Spider-Man will have more luck than Peter Parker.

"My mom was killed when I was twelve. My dad became abusive." Kindra fingers a spot on her neck where I can see a purple scar. It makes me mad. It doesn't hurt now, but it's there because at some point in time, somebody hurt her enough to leave a mark. "I kept it a secret for two years, then there was an incedent-" For a moment her eyes lock onto a space of air. She shakes her head coming out of some sort of trance. "A kitchen sink and- Then I was shipped off to my first foster family."

"Two years?" I ask moving closer to her. Kindra nods wiping away what might be a raindrop, what might be a teardrop. _"And if you're crying no one can tell but you."_

"About two thirds of the foster homes I lived in had parents that didn't care. They were paid to love me." She continues. "The other third of them hated me for needing things to live and became abusive. It was too much. Too hard." Kindra blinks a few times. She's going to have an episode, I can tell. Her fingers are twitching and I don't want her to go into a state of fear again. I do the only think I can think of. I rip off my mask and grab her face, kissing her. Kindra kisses me back, her fingers curled on my chest. When she pulls away she keeps her eyes closed. "Nobody needed me. I'd had one friend, one best friend in all those houses and she was in Orlando, I was in Seattle... I felt worthless and the gun was sitting _right there_." Kindra keeps her eyes closed, drops of water land on her face, I wonder if they're tears. "The he came in and- We got in a fight, I was shot in the stomach. 'Lucky' survivor. Then six months passed, still nothing changed. I excelled in math and science, I was teased. I drank red wine with Valium. My stomach was pumped. The episodes I kept a secret were discovered. I was labeled as 'mentally unstable' and sent to Greenwitch Mental Instutution. Cold showers, medications. It was hard. I had to eat regularly again, I began playing piano and violin..."

"You had an eating disorder?" I ask. She nods her head, still refusing to open her eyes.

"I'd starve myself then binge when I lost it, once or twice a month I'd purge." Kindra says. "But, I was a good girl. I ate everything on my plate. I listened during therapy sessions. I wrote about my feelings instead of depressing poems in the notebook I got. Once they put me in a strait jacket. Worst 24 hours of my _life_ since The Worst Days. But eventually, I got out. But the idiots at Social Services put into a new foster home. I was issued morphine shots to calm down after an episode. I've been holding out until I turn eighteen. Then I can live on my own and put all of this behind me."

"You, you can look at me." I tell her. She shakes her head. "Are you sure?" She nods. I hold her tightly while she cries her eyes out. I can tell because the rain is cold. Her tears are warm. I wrap my arms around her. Kindra presses her head into my chest. All I want to do is take her away from the bad memories, protect her from bullies and abusers. Slowly she finds her way and kisses me for a really long time. I pull the mask mack over my face. She opens her eyes again. "You're really pretty." I tell her. "You're beautiful. It's just strange because you're so modest. Your eyes, I love your eyes." Kindra, laughs and smiles, sniffling.

"My mom's eyes were hazel, my dad's were blue." She says. "The sun is rising. Have we been here that long?"

"I guess so. I should take you back now, shouldn't I?" Kindra nods.

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

I don't want him to leave, so I peel up his mask again and kiss him good-bye.

"Fridays." I blurt. "On Fridays I have the house all to myself until nine o'clock."

"I'll see you next Friday then."


	9. Chapter 9

**Two chapters in one day! I'm so proud of myself. On anoter note: VILLIANS TIME. Sorry I've kept you waiting for them. The Nicolas Sparks romance is over. (For now.) MWAHAHA! THE GREEN GUYS ARE IN THE HOUSE! (Ironically, the green house, you'll see.)**

Chapter 9- Breakthrough

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

"I can't believe how many plants you have!" I shout spinning in a circle. The green house takes up two thirds of a level in the OSCORP tower. Some of the names I can't even pronunce.

"And none of these are even the one that we're looking for." Norman says. I follow him through the maze of vines and leaves and petals. A sparkling blue rose, a thorny vine covered thing, something that smells like garbage but is a pale pale pink flower. Lush green leaves and sapphire spikes. "This is the plant you'll be working with." Norman says pointing at the flower Dr. Connors is examining.

"Naveen, this is the lotus flower." He says. The flower is different from any other lotus flower I've seen. The petals are long and skinny. Each one is pale pink rimmed with bright red. There are two bright green leaves and vines the carl around the base of the plant. It could fit in both of my palms easily. "You know the Greek myth about the lotus flower and the lotus-eaters don't you?"

"Yes. The lotus flower made you forget your life and made you just want to stay and have fun. Time moved faster and you never aged while eating the lotus flower. The lotus-eaters knew nothing but to stay and eat." I say studying the flower.

"It's not a myth. We found this burried under vines behind a waterfall in Greece." Norman says.

"So, I could eat this, but what would happen?" I ask.

"Nothing, there's no paradise anymore." Dr. Connors says. "However, we think that it can sure diseases. the lotus-eaters had no problems in life and all they ate was this flower. My theroy is that if we can make this into a vaccine then humanity is cured of all diseases. Think of it. No more cancer, no more AIDS, no more weaknesses."

"Do you think that you could figure something out?" Norman asks me. Both doctors are staring at me.

"I-I-I-I think so." I stutter. "I'll have to do a profile on it and, run a few tests but within a day or two I could figure something out."

"Excellent." Dr. Connors says. "It's just that I'm working with Dr. Osborn on something else, so for the next few weeks you'll be on your own."

"That's fine, I adapt quickly." I say. Norman smiles.

"I knew we could count on you."

* * *

... ... ...

* * *

"Do you think she can do it?"

"Of course. I told you, I know what I'm doing."

"She's just a girl-"

"She's an unstable genuis is what she is..."

"No, I know she's smart but is it fair to do this to her?"

"Unless you know anyone else for the job, it's Kindra."

"I thought her name was Naveen."

"It's her mother's name. That's another reason it _has_ to be her. The emotional status."

"Are you sure it's going to work?"

"I have cameras all over the house, one rigged right into her balcony. Can you guess what I've caught her doing for the past month?"

"What?"

"Our friend in the red and blue suit has been paying her visits. And they uses their mouths for more than talking."

"So, you're saying-"

"Exactly. She's a weak girl in love. He's a teenage boy. With this plan, nothing can go wrong."

"Dr. Osborn, you shouldn't underestimate Peter. He's grown a lot since-"

"I know, but he's still soft from Gwen. I know. That's why the operation has to go into full bloom _now_. Kindra, Peter, and Spider-Man will soon be caught in a web of lies."

"Were those puns intended?"

"Of course Curtis. Of course they were."

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

"Peter!" Kindra shouts running down the hall. "Peter! You're not going to believe what happened to-" When I say she collapses onto the floor in a heap I'm _not_ exaggerating. She picks up her violin case, stands up, and adjusts her glasses and speed walks over to me. "You're not going to believe, what happened to me this weekend."

"Are you okay?" I ask her. "You kinda just tripped over your own feet."

"I didn't trip Peter." Kindra says defensively. "I just noticed the floor was feeling lonley, you know because people walk all over it, so I decided to give it a hug."

"Okay then." I say laughing. "What happened to you this weekend?" _As if I don't know._ Kindra grabs my arm pulling me to the side of the hall.

"Ummm, okay, just don't freak out." She says biting her lip. "You know how I said Spider-Man has been watching me and how I said he's a flirt? Well this weekend he came over to my house and I sort of- kissed him."

"You kissed a superhero?" I ask her.

"Yeah." She says smiling. "It was in the rain, he was suspended upside-down and it was amazing!" _It was good for me too. I didn't even notice the water in my nose._ _True, I had to hold the web between my feet but it was worth it to have my hand in your hair. Wow, that sounded creepy, good thing I'm not saying this out loud._

"So, he took off his mask?" I ask.

"No, I just you know, pulled it down so- You know..." Kindra fiddles with her gray sleeves.

"What?" I ask teasing her.

"So it was just his lips showing so I could kiss him!" She says loudly. Not like anyone notices. "Gosh Peter!" Kindra blushes and smiles. "Then he got down from the web and we had like, a half-hour make out session. I'm having a total girly moment right now."

"So, did you enjoy yourself?" I ask awkwardly.

"What do you think Peter? I'm smiling and blushing and I'm wearing the gray sweatshirt that I wore on our date!" She says laughing. "He's an _insanely_ good kisser. Sorry if I'm giving you too many details."

"No, that's fine." I say. "So you went on a date with him?"

"Yeah..." Kindra says. "I'm such a giiirrrrl..." I laugh again. "He promised on Fridays he'd come to see me."

"So, when is he going to show you, what's under the mask?" I say hoping that _Peter_ will have more luck than Spider-Man for this topic.

"It's just, I don't want another secret to keep." She says. "My whole life has been me keeping secrets and I'm just worried that I'll end up having an episode and blowing his cover." That makes sense to me.

"Well, have fun with Spider-Man." I tell her. "You look good in gray."

"Really? You're just saying that."

"No, I mean it."

"Thanks..."

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

The lotus flower has so much potential. I'm just worried about side effects. What if vines grow out of your ears? The smell is amazing. It's like honey scented honey, with a touch of honey. I have to tell myself that I can't eat it for the good of science. When I'm done profiling it, I begin working on equations. How to get the cure throught without having petals instead of hair. It's hard because of how much attention plants need. Oh well. If only humans had chlorophyll. I check out the failures to see if there's anything I can learn from their errors. There's only one small box of failed cross-genetics vaccines, but I can deal with it. I look at most of them. Pictures of dead mice, amputated mice, mice with extra limbs. Small syringes filled with the syrum. I find one file that reads LIZARD and examine it since it's the only one tested on a human so far. Immidately I can find where Peter, (yes I found out that he had a part in Dr. Connors transformation) and Dr. Connors made mistakes. And each mistake is a small one. Chomosomes. Atoms. Molecules. Then I come across the equation. Symbols and strange things. It takes me a moment to try and process it. My fingers trace over something on the paper. ø ø I try to figure it out. _I've seen this before. I know this. I did a report on someone in one of the 46 U.S. states I've lived in._ Suddenly I'm seeing a flash of things. _Peter smiling. The glasses he used to wear. Hazel eyes. Same hazel eyes. The double O crossed out. The equation. The spider section that was shut down last year. Richard and Mary Parker Killed in Plane Crash. Richard Parker. Richard_ Parker_. Dr. Parker and Dr. Connors: A World Without Weakness. Peter's an orphan. Richard Parker and Peter Parker. Rock Park Keeper. His knowledge of science. His eye color. The glasses, why he wears them even with his 20/20 vision sometimes. Why he's so nice to me. Dr. Richard Parker is the father of Peter Parker. _

"Oh my _God_!" I shout and clap one hand over my mouth. I grab the box with last two files and speed walk to my office. My fingers type into the Google adress bar in seconds. (It's all the piano practice) I get thousands of pages of information on Richard and Mary Parker. When I type in 'son' after that, I get nothing. I clear my head. I glance at the LIZARD file again. I think of the ø ø again. I rack my brain for something. DNA: _No. _Gentics: _No._ Blood Types: _No._ Adenine, Thymine, Guanine, Cytosine: _No, no, no, and no._Chromosomes: _No._ _WAIT! Yes. It's chomosomes._ I think of everything I know. XX for a female, XY for a male. But what does that matter? HOLY- OH MY GOD! WHY DIDN'T I SEE IT BEFORE? _FOCUS KINDRA! WHY DIDN'T YOU _FOCUS_? _I'm an idiot. I'm such an idiot. Walking, walking, walking. _That's why they all failed._ Walking faster. _They were all tested on males._ Walking acclerando. _There's a missing link to the Y chomosome._ Walking REALLY fast. _FEMALES. IT NEEDS TO BE TESTED ON A FEMALE FIRST._ When I finally stop at Norman's office I have to take a breath. Breathe Kindra. Breathe.

"...We need something else... Something that hooks you."

"The lavander might not work."

"The dark chocolate will."

"It's still something weird to put in Toxin-X don't you think?"

"Like I said something that hooks you-" _What are they talking_ _about?_

"Dad!" I shout. "I think I figured out why-"

"Kindra," Norman says. "Dr. Connors and I were in the middle of a very important and _private_ converstation-"

"A girl." I say cutting him off. "The syrum needs to be tested on a girl before a boy. It's because of the chomosomes. Girls have XX, boys have XY. In the missing link from the Y there are problems that only boys can have. Color blindness for example."

"You mean, the reason all of the other cross-gentics tests didn't work-" Dr. Connors begins.

"They were tested on males. This time, ladies first." I say. Dr. Connors smiles at Norman.

"Thank-you Naveen, that was very usful information. We'll make a note of it." Norman says. I nod out of breath.

"Thanks." I say. "Nicotine. That's an answer for your problem."

"What?" Dr. Connors asks.

"You said you needed something to hook you." I say. "Nicotine. That's what gets you addicted to cigarettes."

"Well, you're being very helpful today, aren't you sweetie?" Norman says patting me on the back smiling.

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

"Aunt May, I'm home." I say setting my backpack on the table. I pull the collar of my shirt up a little further, hiding the suit.

"...Oh really?" I can hear her voice in the living room. "Peter said you were smart, but not that smart!"

"Well, honestly I still can't believe it." It's her voice. What's she doing here? Why is he here? I walk into the living room. Apparenly Kindra and my Aunt are best friends. Here they are, drinking coffee and chatting about life. Kindra locks her eyes onto mine.

"Peter!" Aunt May says. "You weren't home and this nice girl came over to see you. I told her you'd be here soon. You didn't tell me she worked at OSCORP." Kindra looks at me harder. She's angry and sad and needs help.

"Yeah, slipped my mind." I say still looking at her.

"Well, I'm going to let you two be alone now." Aunt May says. "You didn't tell me she was pretty either." She whispers when passing by. Kindra stands up.

"Hi." I say.

"Hey." She says looking at the ground fiddling with her sleeves again.

"So, um why'd you come by?" I ask. She shuffles her feet, unzips her backpack and pulls something out. A newspaper. RICHARD AND MARY PARKER KILLED IN PLANE CRASH. "Oh. So, did your dad tell you?"

"No, I figured it out on my own." Kindra says. "I'm smart Peter. I work at OSCORP. So did you, and so did your dad once upon a time." I ruffle my hair.

"Look, um-"

"Why didn't you tell me?" She asks. Her eyes look like tears are going to spill over soon.

"What?" I ask, completely confused.

"Why didn't you tell me your dad was Richard Parker?" Kindra asks. She begins crying. "Peter, do you have any idea how useful that information would have been? I've been doing a lot of studying. And you didn't even bother to tell me about your parents. I thought you were my _friend_."

"Come on, are you _serious_?" I lose it and shout at her. "You don't talk about your parents ever. EVER. All I ever hear about are 'The Worst Days'! What are 'The Worst Days'? If they're the worst then why don't you talk about them. I _am_ your friend!"

"Maybe I don't talk about them because it hurts too much!" She snaps. "I bottle things up that's how I deal with things Peter!"

"Maybe that's how it is for me too Kindra? Did you ever think about that?" I shout. Her tears are coming down like crazy. "My parents drop me off here and then they're gone. I never see them again. Do you know how that feels? My Uncle Ben died. Aunt May is all I have! I don't want to talk about my parents, I thought you'd understand better than anyone else." Kindra is sobbing and making choking noises. She might have an episode but I really don't care right now.

"At least you didn't have to watch your mom get shot on New Year's Eve." Her words are said shaky even thought you can tell she's trying to sound strong. The impact of her words hit and all of a sudden I feel like a jerk.

"What?" I ask her. Aunt May comes in the room.

"Peter, what's going on?" She asks.

"Kindra?" I ask her. She stares a a spot of open space and her hands begin to twitch.

"What?" She asks. She has the most fear I've ever seen in anyone's eyes before. "Stop it." Kindra snaps turning around. _Voices in her head._ "Stop it! I didn't mean for it to happen! It's not my fault! Why won't you believe me?"

"Kindra!"

"Peter?"

"Stop it!" Kindra screams. She collapses on the ground and begins shaking. The choking sounds.

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

_BULLET HITS FLESH. FLESH HITS BLOOD. BLOOD __HITS_** I**_ SNOW. BULLET HITS FLESH. FLESH HITS BLOOD. BLOOD HITS SNOW. BULLET HITS FLESH. FLESH HITS BLOOD. BLOOD HITS SNOW. BULLET HITS FLESH. FLESH HITS BLOOD. BLOOD HITS SNOW. _**Didn't ** _BULLET HITS FLESH. FLESH HITS __BLOOD._ **Do ** _BLOOD __HITS SNOW. BULLET HITS FLESH. FLESH HITS BLOOD._ _BLOOD HITS SNOW. __BULLET HITS FLESH. FLESH HITS BLOOD. BLOOD HITS SNOW. BULLET HITS FLESH. FLESH HITS BLOOD. BLOOD HITS SNOW. BULLET HITS_ _FLESH_. _FLESH HITS BLOOD. BLOOD HITS SNOW. BULLET HITS FLESH. FLESH HITS _**It **_BLOOD. BLOOD HITS SNOW. BULLET HITS FLESH. FLESH HITS BLOOD. BLOOD HITS SNOW. BULLET HITS FLESH. FLESH HITS BLOOD. BLOOD HITS SNOW. SHE'S GONE. . ._

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

"You scared him. That boy who ran out of the room. You scared _me_." I ask her. I'm in the suit again. Kindra's mad at Peter. Spider-Man didn't do anything.

"I scared me too." She says.

"So, what happened back there?"

"New Year's Eve was the begining of The Worst Days. I was with my mom. We were driving back from the store. There was ice, it was cold we swirved off the road..." She begins. "It's foggy after that. I've tried so hard to put it out of my mind. Someone came over and asked for, the car, our money, me? I can't remember, but he looked... Mean. My mom wouldn't give it to him and then-"

"He shot her." I finish. She rests her head on my shoulder.

"The therapist told me to just remeber the basics. Now they haunt me."

"Bullet hits flesh. Flesh hits blood. Blood hits snow." I say. "You were whispering that when I came in."

"I'm just glad that everyone else is okay." Kindra says. "I live a messed up life. I'm like magnet for trouble."

"Hey, when life gives you lemons..."

"Make them into butterbeer and leave the Muggles pondering how you did such a thing." She says in a perfect British accent. I laugh and wrap my arm around her.


	10. Chapter 10

**That last chapted ended kind of weird so I'm SORREE! I didn't know how to end it without it being weird so I just let it end all weird-like. So now we're at Chapter 10. DOUBLE DIGETS! Also, I recently hit 30 reveiws so I'm a happy girl. I'll make everyone else happy with this chapter. It's shorter than what you've been getting and kind of crappy but I promise better work on the next one. Three chapters in one day, I'm on a ROLL!**

**DISCLAIMER: I'm not smart enough to write comic books. I only made Kindra.**

Chapter 10- Halloween

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

I haven't spoken to her since we had the fight. Not as me Peter anyways. At first she ignored me. Then she smiled at me. Then I got a note in my locker.

_I'm sorry. We're all messed up. I was mad. Please, I'm sorry._

It looked like she'd written written something and then erased it, then wrote "I'm sorry" again. Now it's Halloween. I'm stuck getting the question 'Are you dressed as a nerd?' today because the school is letting us wear costumes. Don't get me wrong, I love Halloween. But I'm really sick of wearing a mask lately.

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

_I'm sorry. We're all messed up. I was mad. Please, I might be in love with you._

I wrote it, then chickened out and put "I'm sorry" again. Here I am with a superhero every Friday and I'm _still_ crushing on Peter.

"How do I look?" I ask Harry. I've got black cloak that's silver on the inside, a black ribbon with a fake sapphire pinned to it, and black ankle boots.

"Great." Harry says. "The nerd glasses really add an effect." I frown.

"I don't want to be blind as a bat today." I say.

"Just take them off for a moment." Harry sugguests. I slowly take off my glasses. I worked on my makeup for an hour. I drew out my cheek bones and gave myself cat eyes with my eyeliner. It took hours to find the right shade of red lip gloss. "Don't you have contacts?"

"Upstairs." I moan. "I'll be back in a second." I stomp back up the staircase and put in my contacts missing the heaviness on my nose. My eyes feel naked so I apply a super shimmery silver eyeshadow. I even put plastic fangs on my top and bottom teeth. I come back downstairs.

"You look great. The OSCORP workers finally get to see you for who you really are!" Harry jokes.

"Sho I'm a pished off vamprie who'sh going to kill her brother?" I ask lunging forward and jumping on Harry. We run aorund the house for a little bit until he wrestles me off. I hiss at him.

"C'mon guys, time to go to work." Norman says. He looks at me. "What in God's name happened to you?" In answer I hiss at him. He looks my cloak up and down. "Tell me you're not naked under there."

"Daaaad!" I shout. I flip open my cloak revealing a black mini dress, silver fishnets, and silver elbow gloves. "Not naked. Shee?"

"You just called me Dad." Norman says with a creepy smile.

"No I did not jusht call you Dad." I say. "Sheesh. I'm going to bite everyone'sh headsh off today."

"Shhhh!" Harry says to me. "You're shpitting on everyone." I hiss at him. There's one good thing about Halloween. With some fake fangs people don't look at you strangely when you hiss at them. It makes riding in a subway easier.

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

"OhmyGod. Have you seen her costume? It's like, totally hanous." _Stupid spider senses._ Today the group of girls that pick on Kindra are even cattier than usual. And I'm not just saying that because they're all wearing Victoria's Secret with cat ears. I stop at my locker. Someone in a cheap store-bought Spider-Man suit and a few guys dressed at hobos and police officers run around the coner laughing. She runs around the corner and looks around.

"Flash!" Kindra hollars. "Give me my glasshesh back!" She runs over. Definatly wearing fake fangs.

"No. You know what you have to do to get them back!" He tells her holding them over her head. Hasn't he noticed that Kindra and I haven't talked to each other. Doesn her really think he's going to get a PDA?

"Pleashe, just give them back." Kindra whines. "Flash!"

"Nope." He says smiling. "Pay up. There's no one in this hall but us and Parker. Better do it now. Before I change my mind at make you do it at lunch." Kindra moans. Glances at me down the hall. Closes her eyes.

"Fine." She spits. Kindra plays around with the ribbon tied at the front of her cloak, then swirls it around until it lands on the floor. She crosses her arms over her chest and taps her foot.

"Whoa! Wow! And I thought that you-"

"Shut. Up." She snaps. Flash and his group of idiots stare at her. Even I can't look away. Kindra's wearing silver netted stockings and a XXXSM skintight black mini dress. Her body, which I assumed was nothing from all the baggy clothes she wore, is as beautiful as her face. "One minuet is up." Kindra picks up her cloak and ties the ribbon around her collarbone. Snatches her glasses from his hands.

"Thank-you." Flash says. She rolls her eyes and shoves them in her backpack.

"It's Halloween, we need candy too you know." One of his friends adds. Kindra walks down the hall, her heels clicking the floor. She stops, pauses to look at me, then keeps walking.

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

I slam my violin case down and Peter lifts his head off the lunch table.

"Look, I'm shick of ush pretending like we hate eash other. We don't. At the begining of the year you promished to be my hell-mate." I say.

"Yeah." Peter says. "I don't break promises. Sorry." We shake on it. Renewal of the treaty. "So, an update on making out with Spider-Man please?"

"He hashn't been coming ash much lately." I say with a shrug. "Doeshn't matter. He hash crime to fight, I have Shakespeare to re-read. Beshidesh, it'sh not like we could shtay together for long. I'm not hish type."

"And what is his type?"

"Gorgeoush. Dainty. Needing to be reshcued every ten minuetsh. True that I'm a danger magnet, but shtill." I say. "It's fine. I'm done with him. Even if he _ish_ a great kisher." _It's over because then I feel guilty about crushing on you._

"It's hard to talk in those fangs isn't it?" Peter asks me. I nod my head and laugh. "Sorry I said those things to you."

"It'sh fine." I say. "Sorry I got mad about you not telling me about your dad." I pull out my iPod and put Viva la Vida on replay. "Do you have anything going on tonight? We could try and sneak into a party or something."

"Sorry. Uhh, umm, homework. Unlike you I take math and science." Peter says.

"That tesht is coming up shoon. Then you can vishit me at OSHCORP." I shay- SAY!

"Yeah." Peter says. "OSCORP!" But he still seems like he's faking it.

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

Halloween is the biggest crime day of the year. It makes me upset because I have to let some things pass. Like graffiti artists. Which is fine since right now the most spray-painted thing is my spider logo. I'm all over the place. In an alley one minuet, a club rooftop the next. Queens then Brooklyn then Manhattan. Then I'm back in good old NYC for a museum robbery. I get there too late.

"Sorry Mr. S. The theif left a few minuets ago." A cop tells me. "We can let you inside though. We're not releasing this to the press until you've cleared the scene. This doesn't look like our usual. Whoever it was they might not have been human." I'm lead inside. The item that was stolen was a Renaissance times mask. Black silk with gold lace and studded with diamonds. The diamonds themselves were thousands of dollars. The theif broke into the controls system and knocked out all the cameras. Only one camera stayed on. You can see a clear shot of a large wall mural. Then, there's a flash of black and red and there's grafitti on the mural. Green in all captiols it reads:

_**THE GREEN GOBLIN ****LIVES**_


	11. Chapter 11

**Hi, hi. If all goes well these next two chapters will be AMAZING. Last chapter I told you I hit 30 reveiws. Now I have over 40. VERY HAPPY. Prepare yourselves for some VILLIANS, time skipping, brother-sister bonding, awkward moments, and TWO epic makeout scenes. (In the next two chapters) Enjoy!**

Chapter 11- The Holiday Season

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

Tick tock. This is a clock. Do not think about Peter. Do not think about Spider-Man. Do not think about Harry. Do not think about Dad. Spider-Man is fighting crime. Peter is having a REAL Thanksgiving weekend. Harry is in Spain on a buisness trip. Dr. Connors and Dad are in Greece looking for more lotus flowers. We tested on a female mouse with sucessful results. Female mice with all kinds of disorders, diseases, blindnesses, apmutees and they all worked. Best of all it was in front of Mrs. Kyler, Principal Whitney, and the top ten smartest students at Midtown, including Peter. That was a good memory day. Fancy dinner at a fancy restraunt. Harry didn't bother or tease me when I wore slacks and a nice blouse. Peter said I was smart. Nine other kids at school respect me now. I call Norman "Dad" without hesitation. It still doesn't stop days like these from happening. It's Thanksgiving. I have more than enough to be thankful for. But no one to share my thankfulness with. So I'm stuck here, on the balcony smelling the dead leaves and incoming cold. Wearing a new navy blue pea coat with brass buttons. I like tracing my fingers over the patterns on the buttons. Never having owned something so nice. I had a childhood, but it wasn't the greatest. Even before The Worst Days there wasn't much. A crummy apartment, small rooms, the fire escape, the kitchen sink- _No, don't go there. It's a holiday._ Strange, the phrase "everthing but the kitchen sink" doesn't apply to me when it come to fears. For me it's "everything _and_ the kitchen sink." But I'm not going there. Another part of fall and winter that I like: not being stared at like a crazy person- bad word choice, I know- when I pull my sleeves to my fingernails. I keep wishing that Harry and Dad were home for Thanksgiving. But they aren't. Doesn't matter. In a week we'll be off to Hawaii. Whatever "family time" we'll have then will make up for now. Of course we'll be back for New Year's Eve. The best way to get rid of a bad memory is to replace it with a new one. And what better memory to replace watching my mom get shot than watching the ball drop LIVE? Or being at an OSCORP party with cute scientists who see me as "the girl who made a breakthrough"? Or even just hanging out with Peter, or Spider-Man? There's only two downsides to this next month and new year and this time I _can't_ get around them.

1) I have to buy a bathing suit.

2) I have to go shopping.

Harry burned EVERYTHING and I haven't had my meds since the begining of October when I had an episode at Peter's house. I have to hold up my end of the bargain. I thought I could weasle out of it. But then IT happened. IT being that Harry caught me sneaking into the house after a Friday night with Spider-Man. Now I'm going shopping. When Harry gets back from Spain we're going to shop in SoHo to get both of us swim suits. And we're going to shop at EVERY SINGLE STORE and Harry is going to ask every single cute sales lady how he looks. And as a requirment that he doesn't tell Dad about IT I have to try on at least three bikinis in each store. Because, "We're going to Hawaii for crying out loud Kindra! Don't you want an awesome tan?" Then on December 1st at 8:45am we're on the plane to paradise. _Para-para-paradise. Para-para-paradise. Para-para-paradise. Everytime she closed her eyes. _

"Hey," My friend in red and blue says. "You're alone."

"Yeah, hi." I say. The moths are in my stomach again. "I'm not alone, you're here."

"I knew you were going to say that." He says. I can feel him smiling.

"I heard about the robberies." I tell him pushing up my glasses. "The mask at the museum, those clothing stores, the pendant from the jewelry shop. The same person."

"Leaving the same message." He says. " 'The Green Goblin lives.' "

"I don't believe what they're saying about you, in the news. It's all fake. You're not just letting her get through." I tell him. "So, who is the girl?"

"I don't know, whoever she is she's good. And she's cocky too. Leaves a red lipstick stain on the necks of any guy on the scene at the place of the robbery."

"She's working with the Green Goblin if she's leaving that message everywhere. My guess is that they want to scare the city. They don't scare me though."

"Why?"

"You know why. You just want to hear me say it." I tell him breaking out into a smile.

"Pleeease?" He begs.

"Fine! I'm not scared because I have you. Happy?" I'm faking being mad. I wrap my arms around him.

"Very. You make me a happy insect." He says. "I'm thankful for you."

"Me too. Thankful for you I mean- Not that I'm thinkful for myself. Wait, I am thankful that I'm alive and all but-"

"Kindra?"

"Hmmm?"

"Shut-up and you'll give me something _else_ to be thankful for." I laugh again. "So, you really don't care what I look like under the mask, or who I am?"

"Nope. Unless you're a creepy guy who's in his forties. Thirties, I can handle. Twenties I'm fine with. But I swear, if you're like fourteen or less I will smack you so hard all the webbing will come out of your hands."

"They come out of machines attatched into my wrists for the record."

"Okay." I say. A police siren goes off. "Go on. New York has to be thankful to have you too."

But then I'm alone again.

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

Another robbery. Another mask and a necklace, both from a costume jewelry shop. KindraKindraKindra. I should invite her over. I really should. Kindra is all alone in that big house and Spider-Man can't even visit her. But Aunt May and I should just have the two of us for tonight. I just pray to God that she won't have an episode or anything like that.

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

He didn't come. I waited and he didn't come. I knew it. I wasn't his type. Just after telling Peter that Spider-Man showed up as a surprise. I don't know what to make of my life anymore. Another surprise: Harry came home early.

"Appearently they don't like it when you throw things at the bulls and there weren't too many pretty Spanish girls. So I let the other _smarter_ guys take care of it." He tells me the next morning. "I love these kinds of Thanksgivings that come at the end of the month. Then it's right into Black Friday, a Saturday, and the month is over and it's Chirstmas time."

"Me too." I say sipping my coffee. "Harry, despite how much you suck at other stuff you make a good pumpkin latte."

"I'll take that as a compliment baby sister."

"You'd better big brother, you won't be getting many of them." I say.

"To the Secret Code of the Siblings."

"Here, here." We clink mugs.

"Kin' you realize what this means, don't you?"

"What?"

Harry pulls out two gold credit cards. I know that one of them reads Naveen Briar.

"No." I say setting down my mug sitting upright. "No!" I squeal running away from him. Harry, faster than me picks me up and throws me over his shoulder. "Nonononono!" I say shaking my head and kicking my legs.

"Shopping. Time to pay up." Harry says. He sits me down in the car and buckles my seatbelt.

"I hate you." I say smiling. He starts the car.

"I know. I love you too Kindra." We drive for a little bit. I keep my arms crossed staring straight ahead. Harry keeps looking at me and laughing. My cell phone rings.

"Hello, this is Kindra." I say. "I can't go anywhere right now because my brother Harry is _kidnapping_ me!"

"Well that sucks. I was hoping we go do some Black Friday shopping." Peter says playfully.

"Oh, Peter! Hi. Yeah, sorry." I stutter. Harry bats his eyelashes at me. I slap his shoulder. "I have to go buy a swim suit. Didn't I tell you that I'm going to Hawaii for all of Decemeber?"

"Nope." Peter says.

"Surprise! I'm going to Hawaii for all of Decemember!" I say. Peter laughs on the other end of the line. "Don't worry. I'll be back on New Year's Eve. Maybe we can watch the ball drop or something- Stop that!" I punch Harry in the shoulder who keeps batting his eyelashes.

"Ow!"

"You deserved it!"

"Kindra?" Peter asks. "Tomorrow maybe?"

"I'll call you when I'm done packing." I say.

"Okay. Bye."

"Bye byes." I say clicking off. Harry grins at me. "What?" He raises his eyebrows. "Stop it! Eyes on the road big brother."

One SoHo shopping spree later. Harry has had his suit for the last twenty stores. I, however, have to keep trying things on.

"Not this one." I say behind my dressing room door. It's the fifth one I've tried on here. I look so bad in it I don't even bother to come out and show Harry. It's Black Friday. EVERYONE in the store would see me.

"What? Again. I haven't seen you in ONE suit Kindra. You are coming out in whatever you put on next or I'll force you to take anti-depressants."

"UUUUGH! Fine!" I shout. "Harry, you are a guy- a good looking guy at that- I am a Kindra. I swear, you're going to vomit when I come out. I look gross in everything."

"First off, thank-you but you're my sister so it's not gonna happen." Harry teases. "Second you do not look gross. You look like you_ think_ you look gross."

"You said the word 'you' three times in that sentance." I say.

"No stalling." Harry says.

"Meeegh!" I groan. I grab something from the huge pile of stuff in the corner of my room. A bikini, one that Harry picked, pure white, bandeau top. Go figure. "Ewww. You _will_ vomit this time. I swear." I pull it on. There's a gold hoop right between my breasts connecting the two cups. Great. I tie the strings on the hips. Ewww. I open the door, put my hands on my hips, spin in a circle. "Harry?"

"What?" He turns away from staring into space. Harry looks at me. He grips his chair, widens his eyes. "Wow, you look like- Wow. I mean- Wow. I think I might reconsider that whole 'dating me' thing."

"I didn't ask you out. I said you're good looking." I growl. "So, I don't look bad?" In response a sales girl comes over to me. Her nametage reads LARA.

"I think this is perfect for you. The ties on the hips create an hourglass figure, and with a collar bone like yours a bandeau would be all you can get really." She says.

"Okay..." I say.

"Take off your glasses." Harry says. I glance around the store. A group a cute guys, not so cute guys, and mean looking girls are staring at me. I slide them off. Lara claps her hands. "We'll take it." Harry tells her. I run back inside my dressing stall and change quickly as possible. I push my glasses up my nose. Now I have something _else_ to be thankful for.

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

Saturday. Sitting at the empty parking garage. Waiting for Kindra to call. All of December she's going to be gone. Sirens. Crap. No more day dreaming. The mask goes on and I extend my arm so that I can- CRASH! Something comes through the concrete roof and slams me down two floors. _OWWWW!_

"You know when you daydream like that it makes it _sooo_ easy for someone to pounce on you." Foggy vision. Might have a headache. Concussion? Slim chance. Something on my back feels heavy. "Don't worry. It's just Green Goblin. The police will be able to handel it. Or not. But hey, a glass half emtpy is a glass half full right?" Girl's voice. Sexy. Very sexy. _Very _sexy.

"Who are you?" I say asking the dumbest question in the world.

"The bandit you've been trying to catch for the past few weeks." The flash of black and red doesn't help my spinning mind. "I'm Green Goblin's new sidekick. Without him I wouldn't be here. He's the one who broke into OSCORP for me. Got that new plant syrum, a little of the lizard stuff, and _personal_ chemicals for just me. Venom and Toxin-X."

"What?"

"Enough small talk." She walks out of the shadows. Short, petite, long bleach blonde hair, purple eyes with a ring of green, pale skin. She's wearing a black corset with red ribbons, a cloak that's black on the outside red on the inside, a pair of red heels, a black mask, black fishnets, and in her hair: a lotus flower. "Hi, I'm Lotus. Nice to meet you." I can see the stolen items she's wearing. The mask. The shoes. The ruby pendant fasening her cloak together.

"You- you stole all those things." I blurt.

"Well they say first impressions are important. I needed to look good for my first meeting with you." Lotus leans in breathing in my face. Whispering, almost hissing. "What do you think Spider-Man? Do I look good?" Something hits me, I can't move.

"Yeah. You look great." I tell her. Which isn't a lie. The black leather of her coset hugs the curves she _clearly_ knows she has. When Lotus smiles I can see her fanged teeth. A forked tonuge slithers out. She lifts concrete off my back. Flashes across the room.

"Well then." Lotus hisses smiling. "I don't like winning if it isn't a fair game." Cocks her head to one side.

"Neither do I." I say standing up.

"Good. I hope you're not afraid to fight a girl."


	12. Chapter 12

**Like I said before, prepare yourselves for some VILLIANS, time skipping, brother-sister bonding, awkward moments, and TWO epic makeout scenes. I accidentally left something off that list: Secrets are going to be unrevealed. Also: Because of Lotus I'm changing the rating to M. And I finally learned how to spell minute! Isn't I a smart one? Lotus is an O.C. Her and Kindra are two different people. YOU WILL UNDERSTAND LATER YOUNG KUMQUATS!**

**DISCLAIMER: I own Kindra and Lotus. NOTHING ELSE.**

Chapter 12- Two Beautiful Blondes

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

_Okay, I'm fighting my first ever girl villian. This is good. This is fine. She's hot. I don't know why but I just want to rip- _Lotus plucks a petal from the flower in her hair. It grows into a _very_ sharp knife.

"My eyes are up here." She says smirking. I run at her. When I say 'she runs in a blur of red and black' that's literally what happens. "I'm over here."

"Lotus, I don't like playing games." I say.

"Too bad." She says. "I _love_ them." I shoot a web at her. Lotus dodges it. Three more times. Nothing. Darts over to me. Hand behind my back. Wrist between my shoulder blades. _Ouch._ "Don't go easy on me." Lotus hisses into my ears. She takes my free hand and places it on her hip. _Why is she doing that? Lotus is so- so- so..._ _She smells nice. Wait! Why am I sniffing my arch enemy? Is her skin glittering? Lotus is sparkly. Her lips too. Why can't I focus? Ow, ow!_ She pushes my hand into my back.

"Don't worry." I say. "I won't being going easy on anyone." I pull my arm out, slam her into the ground and toss her to the side. She skids to a stop. Poised on the ground. Ready to pounce. One leg out. _Hey, that's my pose!_ Lotus pushes herself off the floor. Jumps onto me.

"Not going easy on me huh?" She asks. "Looks like you were wrong." Lotus pulls out her knife. Carving into my chest. _Ow, ow, OW!_ She exhales deeply into my face. "Oh Spider-Man. Why must you be so gosh-darn cute?" She punches me in the face.

* * *

... ... ...

* * *

"He's out cold boss. Won't be awake for a few more minuets."

"Good work Lotus. The Venom worked?"

"I haven't even used Venom. Toxin-X is _awesome_!"

"You can thank my daughter for that."

"I will. Does she even know that you're Green Goblin?"

"Nope. She's not that smart. At home packing for a vacation right now. This is going to be better than I thought."

"Mmmm. Why do you say that?"

"Kindra is in love with both Spider-Man _and_ Peter Parker."

"Wait, she doesn't know?"

"He's tried to tell her but she won't let him."

"That is _delicous_! Absolutely devine!"

"Yes. Just finish up here little blossom. Do something to throw him off. I mean, _really_ throw him off."

"Okay double G. Way ahead of you. I've been planning this one. He's a teenage boy. I know what to do."

"Good. I'll see you soon."

"Toodles."

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

My mouth tastes like blood and sugar. I'm numb. I can't move. I'm tied to a chair.

"Well, well. Somebody finally woke up." Lotus stalks out. Sits on my lap. For a moment I have a fantasy, then try to calm my teenage-boy-horomones down. She sits with one leg on either side of me. "It's a good thing you're awake too." Lotus rests her head on my shoulder, her hair tickling me. "Because it's very lonley without you." She looks at me with her purple eyes.

"Stop that." I say holding my breath. She bats her eyelashes.

"Stop what?" Lotus asks pressing herself into me more. Runs her hands over my chest, it stings when she touches the cuts. "This?" She exhales deeply again. Smiles, showing off her fanged teeth. The lizard tongue slides out again. "Well, I can't stop Spider-Man. You're too gorgeous for me to stop."

"You, know what. Keep going." I tell her. Lotus throws her head back and laughs.

"I knew you'd give in," Her words evaporate on my skin. "Peter Parker." _He must've told her._ "Oh, don't worry I won't tell your girlfriend that you let a villian seduce you." Lotus reaches fore my mask and throws it aside. Now there's no way to escape looking her in the eye.

"Don't." She leans in. "Do." Grabs the back of my head. "This." Lotus presses her mouth onto mine. It's different than kissing Kindra or even Gwen. Lotus knows what she doing and knows how to use everything to her advantage. Her breasts are pressing into my chest and I can feel where her legs show through on ther fishnets, even with the suit on. Lotus runs her hand through my hair and a moan ripples in the back of her throat. Her arms snake down and rest on my arms. When her lizard tongue comes into my mouth things heat up. I slide my own tongue into her mouth. Her lips are smashing into mine and she's pressing me so hard into this chair I'm worried it's going to tip over. Lotus' forked tongue dances in my mouth. Every part of me is alive with electrcity. Lotus pulls away.

"Don't worry." She says. "I'll be back." Lotus cuts the rope on my wrists, digs the knife into my back, then pulls it out and frees the rope binding my to the chair. I fall to my knees. Everything comes back and it all hurts so bad. "Beware. The Green Goblin lives. He's stronger than ever. He knows your weaknesses and so do I." She picks up my mask and throws it at me. "See you later Spider-Man." Lotus runs out the window and drops down disappearing._ So cliche. So hot. So sexy. Ow! It huuurts._

"There's only one place to go." I tell myself pulling on the mask and grabbing my backpack.

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

No answer. Oh well. I glace at my neatly packed suitcases and carry-ons. I pull out my iPod. _Every Teardrop is a Waterfall. I couldn't agree with you more Coldplay._

Tick tick. Tick knock. Knock knock. _Stupid pigeons. They better not be pecking the glass again._ Thump. _What the-_ I pull back the curtains to the balcony.

"Peter?" I shriek. I have the house to myself, I could scream louder if I wanted. "What the hell, what are you doing here?" He's covered in sweat and he's panting. I open up the doors and he falls on the floor. I drag him into my room. Throw his backpack to the side.

"Kin-Kin-Kindra." He gets out.

"Peter, why are you in a Spider-Man su- OH MY _GOD_!" _Richard Parker's spider._ "You! You're- and he's- But, but, and then... in the rain. You're- And he's..." I sputter out. Peter looks at me, breathing heavily. "You're Spider-Man." I squeak.

"I wanted to tell you but-"

"Oh my God. Oh my _God_. OHMYGOD!" I scream. "B-b-b-b-b-but-but. Holy crap. Holy shit. Holy SPIDER-MAN!"

"Kindra." He croaks.

"Sorry, this is just a lot to process." I say.

"The girl who's been robbing all those stores. Her name is Lotus and she's strong. She's working with Green Goblin. She, they broke into OSCORP and got this stuff, that doesn't matter." Peter says. He squeezes his eyes shuts. "Lotus cut me. On my back and my chest, I went through two levels of concrete."

"Oh my- Oh. Wow." I say looking at him covered in dust, blood, and sweat.

"I can't go to a hostpital. They'd find out who I am. You're the only other person I can think of who can help me." Peter says.

"Okay, I'll help you. Please tell me the spider suit is two pieces." I say. Peter shakes his head. "Okay then. I got this. We'll just have to peel your suit down so I can clean up the wounds and then- Oh my GOD you're Spider-Man!"

"Yeah." Peter says smiling a little bit. We manage to peel down his suit to his waist and I can clean up the cuts. I start with the one on his back. There's blood everywhere and I end up putting a BUNCH of gauze on it and taping it tightly into place. I clean up the one on Peter's chest and get extremely shy and begin blushing. "What?" Peter asks grinning. I shake my head and smile.

"Well you were right when you said she was cocky." I tell him. "She carved her name on you." I look at the slits in Peter's skin that spell 'LOTUS'. "And she left that lipstick stain on your neck." I say wiping it up.

"Hey," Peter says. I don't look up from bandaging him. "Hey." He holds my face with his left hand. "I feel fine now. Really. I just needed to rest. She caught me by surprise. I haven't fought a non-human in awhile. It's okay."

"Yeah." I say pushing him away, just wanting to process this myself. "It's just- you're Spider-Man." I squeak.

"Yep." Peter nods his head.

"Okay," I tell myself. "My best friend... Is Spider-Man. My best friend is Spider-Man. My best friend is Spider-Man."

"Nope." Peter says grinning from ear to ear.

"What do you mean 'nope'?" I shout. "You just spent the last ten minutes telling me that you're Spider-Man!"

"Yeah." Peter says. "You said your 'best friend' is Spider-Man."

"So?"

"Your _boyfriend_ is Spider-Man."

"Right. My boyfriend is Spider-Man." I say. "Wait, my boyfriend? So you're saying tha-" Peter kisses me, stopping me from talking. I kiss him back, missing the feeling of his lips on mine since That Night. But I'm still so confused that I keep talking. "So you're saying-"

"Shhh. Shut-up." Peter urges, still holding my face so that I can't pull away. His hand goes into my hair, all of a sudden I'm in the rain again. Feeling each drop, each bolt of lightning, each rumble of thunder. Not wanting anything else but for this moment to last. Emily told me that kissing is like drinking saltwater; the more you have, the thirstier for more you get. Once again, I'm understanding her words that I couldn't before. Kissing Peter is like drinking saltwater. In the middle of the Sarhara. While watching other people drink water. Peter's tongue goes into my mouth. Now it's the same scenario, on steriods. My mind forgets The Worst Days. The funeral. Who am I? I'm a girl in love is who I am. I kiss him harder. He pulls me into him. I'm laying ontop of Peter, kissing him. I just want this to last. Peter lets go of my face, enjoying the look of shock on it.

"My boyfriend is Spider-Man." I breathe. Peter laughs again, smiling.

"Well, we've made out. Did you just think we were friends with benifits?" He asks.

"Yes?" I say. "No? I don't know!" Peter keeps laughing. Then he grabs his back. His hand is bloody. "Oh no, you're bleeding again." Peter rolls onto his stomach so I can get a better look at the cut. I pull the soaked bandages off his back. I run my fingers along the cut. Studying to see what the cure will be.

"That tickles." Peter says.

"This is going to need stitches." I tell him. The color drains from his face. "I can give you morphine... I have some." I search through my backpack and find what I'm looking for. I insert the needle into Peter's arm. I disnfect a needle, pull on vinyl gloves, and cringe.

"Any day now Doc." Peter says.

"Would you kindly shut your mouth?" I ask. "What am I supposed to use for thread?" I'm in full panic mode. I can't do this. I can't do this. I can't do this. Peter presses something on the wrist of his suit and a web attaches to the needle. "Thanks." I say. I hold my breath and the needle pierces Peter's skin. He lets out a scream. "Shhhhhh!" I shout at him.

"I thought you said no one was home." He asks.

"Yeah, but people live in New York in case you forgot." I say. "Just, do something so you don't scream. Isn't that morphine doing anything?"

"A little." Peter admits. I try again getting a few stitches in before Peter breaks whatever he was holding onto. It's so disformed now I just hope it wasn't my iPod.

"Okay, just try to hold it out." I tell him. The cut goes from his hip to his shoulder diagonally and I've only got about two inches sewn up. I begin again sewing as quick as possible, then Peter grabs my face and kisses me. "What the hell?" I shout breaking away.

"I was going to scream so I just-"

"No! NO! Don't do that again without warning me!" I yell. "Men." I mutter. I go back to stitching and it's so gross, I don't know how I thought I could be a doctor.

"Okay, I'm gonna need to kiss you again." Peter says through clenched teeth. I keep stitching as long as possible. "Kindra..."

"Let me get these next two inches-" Once again he smashes his mouth into mine. We continue along with this awkward pattern of stitches and kisses until I finally get the whole cut.

"You know, you're gonna be that sexy doctor surrounded by a bunch of surgeons who want to crinkle paper in the nurse's rooms, if you know what I mean." Peter says after I'm done.

"No, I'm going to be the hot scientist at OSCORP who has guys throwing themselves at her but she remains loyal to her boyfriend." I say cleaning up the scrapes and bruises on Peter's left arm. There's a cut on his wrist. About as deep as a paper cut but the location and the blood. My mind swirls. "You can't keep doing this." I tell him.

"I have to. Lotus, she did this to me. What would she do to someone innocent?" Peter asks.

"No." I insist. You can't keep doing this! I won't let you."

"Kindra-"

"No!" I shout. I begin crying. "Just because Mom is dead. that doesn't give you the right to hurt yourself!"

"What?" Peter asks.

"I said, just because Mom is dead you can't go around hurting youself." I say. "It's not fair to me. It's not fair to you! I didn't kill her! I didn't do it! Why don't you _believe_ me?" My voice catches when I say 'believe.' "You have no _right_ Dad, you don't. She's dead, that's how it works! We live, we die, the end. So get over it! You just think that to feel anything anymore it has to be hurt. You can feel other emotions Dad. But stop doing this."

"Kindra-"

"No!" I shout at him. "It doesn't give you the right to hurt yourself!" I pull up the sleeves on my sweatshirt showing the scars. "And it damn well doesn't give you the right to hurt me!" I hug my knees to my chest and rock myself back and forth.

"Kindra?" Peter asks softly. I look at him. I clap a hand over my mouth. _I just told him everything._


	13. Chapter 13

**Hi there. This story is heating up. To clarify, Lotus is an O.C villan and she and Kindra are two different people. You'll find out more in this chapter. Also: to check out the styles of my OCs head over to my polyvore account. Link is on my profile. Just warning you, between this chapter and the next one there's gonna be a bit of a time gap. DON'T WORRY, by 'a bit of a time gap' I mean 2-5 days. Not even 5. If this story isn't updated within 5 days CALL THE COPS AND MY HUSBAND. Lol. Enjoy!**

Chapter 13- Secrets Revealed

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

It's been a long time. I'm sitting on the roof, waiting for her. She ran downstairs crying after everything was done. I changed out of the suit and waited. It's cold out here. I don't really notice it. I look down.

"Hey." Kindra says. She keeps one hand in her pocket and pushes up her glasses.

"Hi." I say.

"Can I come up there?" Kindra asks. I shrug.

"It's your house." I say. She smiles very weakly, climbs up and sits next to me. We both stare into space for a long time. The wind blows and the tiniest of snowflakes begin to fall. Kindra holds her elbows and exhales deeply with her breath becoming fog in the air. She looks down at her wrists, lifting the fabric and tracing her fingers over the scars. She squeezes her eyes real tight then blinks a few times.

"After the funeral he went into a state of shock, my dad." Kindra says, her eyes stay down. I have to keep looking ahead at the gray white sky. I just can't look at her face. "I mean, _I_ was sad but he... He just didn't do _anything_. I had to keep going to school though. I pretended like nothing was wrong. No way I was going to tell someone.

"Then one day I came home and he was sitting at the table a a big cut on his hand. I thought it was an accident, but-but he'd done it to himself. I just got so scared. He began doing it all the time. The first time I asked him to stop he did nothing. The second time he put the end of his cigarette in my neck." She traces her finger tips over the purple spot. "After that it gradually got worse. I wore sweatshirts all the time. I couldn't let them see what he was doing to me. One day he hit me across the back with a belt. That was the day I almost believed him. He told me that I was weak. My mother was strong but I was weak. That all I knew was sadness and hurt but I kept reacting with love. He said that nobody would ever love me. That I was too scared to love or be cared about. But I had to tell myself no. I made it through the school year and I began counting the days until I turned eighteen. He stopped for awhile. Then left. I had to take care of myself for a few weeks before seventh grade started. He came back and, did nothing. But I felt like a prisoner. Wondering when the next time he would hurt me or feed me was. So I joined the club that stayed after school the most. Science Club. They met everyday after school, free food. It went until seven. I'd sneak in the house late at night. Science was, my escape. I loved it, that's why I love it. I could name every element on the periodic table without batting an eyelash. Mitosis and meiosis were my two best friends. I won the science fair without even trying that hard. For the first time since the begining of The Worst Days I felt good inside.

"When school let out I hated it. I couldn't join summer school because my dad wouldn't give me the money. My birthday passed. I turned fourteen. June ended and July came in quickly. His temeper became shorter. He started hurting himself again. I told him, t-t-to stop." Kindra closes her eyes. Her face remains emotionless except for th tears which fall down her face slowly as if she doesn't notice them. "He took a knife, led me over to the sink, and began cutting my wrists. 'This is all you will ever know Naveen.' He said. 'Pain is the only thing that you will ever know.' He rinsed the blood down the drain and kept cutting. I kept screaming but then it was too much work. My dad threw me out on the fire escape and said, 'I'll leave time to kill you.' With the heat and all the blood I lost it's a miracle that I made it onto the streets. Somebody called 911 and then I woke up in a hostpital. I stayed there until the end of August and then I was sent to a foster home two weeks later. It was the end of The Worst Days but the begining of Foster Fears. My therapists always told me that the homes weren't as bad as I thought they were. Most of the time it was just my imagination. But lots of my parents and siblings would call Social Services to have me shipped out as soon as I had an episode. They were triggered so easily. The kitchen sink was the worst. I got called so many names for not doing the dishes. School was just as bad. Everyone hated me or ignored me. The scars on my wrists wouldn't go away and as soon as people saw them they thought 'emo girl.' Besides me and you there are only three other people that know the truth. Emily, Harry, and Norman. Telling people that my dad abused me scares people off almost as much as thinking I did it to myself. I was scared of who I was. I hated my life and the person that I became. New York was supposed to be my last stop. Then I could get over myself and go to Harvard or Yale but I really wanted to go to Columbia since my hometown is D.C. I thought that I would finish Senior year with out ever having a boyfriend, or a first date, or a first kiss. Love became number 1,001 on my list of things that mattered."

"Until me." I say for her.

"Basically." Kindra says. "My theroy is that love is an illision. It's a nice idea. Finding someone who is both good looking and enjoys your interests. But really they're just someone to reproduce with. Love is like war: Easy to start, hard to end, and impossible to forget. Besides, guys aren't interested in a girl who can't see without three inches of glass on her nose."

"I am." I say. She manages to smile. "Can I ask you a question?"

"For every question you ask me I get to ask you one." Kindra says. "All questions are answered."

"Okay," I say. "Have you forgiven your dad?"

"Yes. I believe forgiveness is important in life." She answers. "My turn. How did you get to be half spider?"

"I was at OSCORP. I went into this room filled with spiders. One of them bit me. Died right after." I tell her. "Are you happy that I'm the guy behind the mask?"

"Yes. I've been crushing on you since the begining of the school year." Kindra says smiling. She lowers her voice. "Are you afraid of me, now that you know the truth?"

"No. We're all messed up. I can climb walls with my bare hands. This is no big secret." I try to come up with a good question. "Who do you like more, Peter Parker or Spider-Man?"

"Well..." Kindra says blushing a little. "While the name meaning 'rock park keeper' is _very_ sexy. There's something about a guy in a spandex suit that really turns me on."

"You like the suit?" I ask.

"Yeah. But I'd take Peter over Spider-Man any day." Kindra says. "That was two questions but I'll let it pass. Who will I be spending New Year's Eve with?"

"Spider-Man will pick you up but I'll take off the mask. Unless you don't want to-"

"No. I like doing that." She says cutting me off.

"So, am I a good kisser?" Kindra laughs for a long time.

"Yes. Insanely good. And I'm the person to talk to when it comes to insanity." She says. "So, how much do I suck at kissing?"

"Not at all. It's good for me too." Kindra laughs again.

"Last question, will you kiss me?" I answer by kissing her. It's like the rain again, only colder and less wet. I wrap my arm around her. "This is sorta romantic, watching the first snowfall." She says.

"I guess so."

* * *

... ... ...

* * *

"Hello again Lotus."

"Hey boss, you wanted to see me?"

"Yes. Just wanted to congradulate you on your lap dance with Peter. He's a teenager, that was perfect."

"No prob. He's not too bad looking either, I don't mind. You got it on tape, right?"

"Yep, we'll just wait for the right time to let it surface. She'll be heartbroken, very vunerable. Then we can launch the operation."

"Good, I'm getting bored just sitting around waiting for her to find out it's him."

"She found out today. Then spilled her secrets."

"That is _wonderful_. This will make everything so much easier. It's one less lie, but there are so many out there."

"Yes. Now then, just sit around and look pretty until I need you again."

"Whatever you say boss."

* * *

... ... ...

* * *

"Curtis, did you get more of those flowers?"

"Plenty sir, plenty. Don't mind me asking, but why must we do things this way?"

"It's all for a good show. That's all they want. When Operation Full Bloom is over they'll have had a good show."

"I know sir, but this isn't right."

"Isn't right? What happened to the man who almost turned everyone in New York into lizards? A world without weakness is what you wanted."

"Want_ed_, as in the past."

"Turst me, once you're in scales again you won't argue."

"Yes sir."


	14. Chapter 14

**I lied! It's been one day, I said I'd update in two days. I LIED! But I don't think you mind it. So mpw we know all about Kindra. This chapter is mostly fluff but it's good fluff. Notice that I say MOSTLY fluff. Not all of it. *devilish grin* Hope you like it!**

Chapter 14- What Happens In Hawaii, Stays in Hawaii

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

"Can you turn your music down? I can hear it." Harry complains.

"Sorry, can't hear you. Too busy enjoying Coldplay." I say. He rolls his eyes. The flight attendant comes down the with a bottle of champagne.

"Two glasses please." Harry tells her.

"No. They're under age." Dad says turning around glaring at us. Harry and I say 'awwww' in unision.

"Come on Dad. Just one glass?" I beg.

"No." He says sternly. Harry growls. I make a weird moaning noise.

"Are we there yet?" Harry asks.

"No." Dad says.

"Now?"

"No."

"Now?"

"No."

"Ummmm. How about now?"

"Harry, would you please stop doing that?"

"Now?"

"Harry, you're acting like a two year old."

"You realize, just now? Are you sure you can run OSCORP?" I ask sarcastically. "So, we each have our own hotel room?"

"Yes Kindra." Dad says tightly. "I've told you that four times now."

"Geeze, no need to get pissed off." I grumble.

"Kindra, please. Do not cuss. At least not in public." Dad groans.

"Dad, 'piss' isn't a cuss. It's a bodily function." I explain trying not to smile. "For example: I drank too many glasses of champagne. Now I have to piss. I'm just putting the word into action by saying 'no need to get _piss_ed off.' See?"

"Kindra-"

"Now then, if you took the term literally-"

"Kindra that's enough." Dad says. He puts those big clunky airplane headphones on. Harry and I look at each other and crack up.

"I wish I had a jar of peanut butter." Harry moans. I put my headphones in. All American Rejects, Green Day, Foo Fighters, and CAKE pass the hours that tick by. The lights are turned off. As a first class passenger, I get a fancy pillow and blanket. In front of me, dad is snoring. Behind me, a rich little girl is watching My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.

"Harry?" I ask.

"Da? That's my name last time I checked." He says.

"Harry, I don't have a sister to talk to about this-"

"Then good-night." He says turning on his side.

"Harry, it's about boys." I say. Harry turns back over and grins at me.

"I'm listening." He says.

"Well, I sorta, kinda, broke up with Spider-Man." I say not knowing if Harry knows about Peter's secret.

"You're an idiot." Harry says.

"But, he said he'd still come back." I say. "I broke up with him because... Because... B-be-because-"

"Spit it out baby sister!" Harry shouts. Everyone still awake shushes him.

"Because I kissed Peter!" I say in a loud whisper. Harry begins smiling and raising his eyebrows.

"You. Sly. Dog!" He says nudging my shoulder.

"Now we're dating. I thought you should know since, he's you're friend and I'm your sister." I say.

"So." Harry says grinning. "Do you like him?" I nod my head. "Do you _really_ like him?" I nod again. "Do you _looove_ him?" I blush and nod my head, yet again. "Ding, ding, ding! Jackpot!" He shouts. Everyone shushes him again. Harry makes a face. "Are you gonna send him a picture of you in your swim suit?"

"No!" I say. "I'm way too shy for that!"

"Listen, Kindra. I know about this kinda stuff. I'm your older,"

"By two months."

"Wiser,"

"Not really."

"Brother."

"By law."

"So I'm gonna say this, you like Peter, Peter likes you. HOWEVER. There is a difference between love and lust. No sex. Okay?"

"Harry!"

"I'm serious!"

"God, do you sit around and think of ways to embarass me all day?"

"Maybe. Maybe not."

"I hate you."

"I hate you too."

"Good night." I say.

"Don't let the spiders bite. Oh wait, one of them _did_ bite you!"

"SHHHHH!"

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

She's in _Hawaii_.

And I'm _here_.

This _sucks_.

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

Honolulu, Hawaii. My hotel room has a great veiw of the beach. It's across the hall from Harry. Dad is one floor above us. Something about, 'needing space.' I glance out the window. I do not fit in here. Since we got off the plane, I'm the only blonde in sight. Everyone is a brunette. Nobody wears glasses. Nobody wears skinny jeans. Nobody wears sweatshirts. Nobody dresses the way I do. Our family looks pale in comparision to the Hawaians. I highly doubt that anyone here has scars on their wrists. This vacation could end up sucking for me. I take every article of clothing out of my luggage. Only one thing can be worn that would let me fit in, my white camisole. I walk across the hall and bang on Harry's door.

"Harry! Pleeeease, it's important." I beg.

"UGH! What do you want?" He shouts.

"I don't fit in here. I need new clothes." I say. "I hate trying to fit in, but this is supposed to be a vacation."

"Okay." Harry says opening the door. "These are your clothes that you promised me you'd wear more of. We're going burn a few things later. But get your credit card and meet me in the lobby. I need to buy some ugly flowered shirts anyways." Harry and I go to the gift shop where I find dresses and skirts that I DO NOT want to wear. I remind myself that none of these people will see me again. I grab a few that are pretty and stuff them in a bag. Harry buys seventeen shirts that look like rainbows threw up, pooped, and had sex on them. Then he buys the most ridculous straw hat EVER in the history of EVER. When we come back to my room Harry decides what we're going to burn.

"This, this, this, this, this, this, this, and this." He says making a neat little pile.

"No! Not this one!" I beg rescuing my fav black hoodie.

"You have the gray one." Harry says. I make a pouty face.

"Then I'm keeping this." I say grabbing a plain black shirt. "Don't even think about it." I growl when Harry reaches out for my Foo Fighters shirt. Then my Green Day one. I glare at him."NEVER. Not in a million years."

"This one?" Harry asks holding up a shirt that I got at a Coldplay concert that reads MYLO XYLOTO.

"Burn that," I say in a low growl. "And I will sell yours, your wife's, and your children's souls to the devil. And I will watch you all BURN." Harry makes bug eyes and drops it on the bed. "Good boy." I say picking it up and hugging it to my chest.

"Okay then, tonight on the beach we are going to build a bonfire and burn this. You are wearing new clothes. Got it?" Harry asks. I nod my head. "See you at nine." He exits. I flop on my bed. I stare at the ceiling. I stare at it for the next hour. I glance around the room. I am so bored. I go into my fancy bathroom and unpack my tiny bag with bathroom crap in it. I lift out my contact lenses. I slowly remove my glasses. I put both contacts in my eyes. Blinka few times. I almost push up the empty space on my nose. I change into my suit. Maybe I can just sit around and get a nice tan. Harry's going to bother me about not doing anyting soon. I grab a cover up and head out. _Scars are showing. Scars are showing. Scars are showing. Scares are showing. Stupid voices in my head._ I sprawl out on a lounge chair. Pull off my cover up. Am I imagining it, or are those really cute Hawaian surfers smiling at me? One of them comes over.

"Hey," He says sitting down next to me.

"Hi." I say wishing he would go away. I have a boyfriend, how does this work?

"I'm Zane." He says.

"I'm Naveen."

"That's a nice name babe." He's not my type. Don't get me wrong, I don't judge people but I'm really good at seeing who someone is within seconds of talking to them. He just called me "babe." Not my type. "Listen, you wanna hang out with me and my friends later?"

"No thanks." I say.

"Don't worry, you won't be the only chick there, they have girlfriends." _God he just said chick. Sooooo not my type. Not even a guy. He's a jerk._

"No thanks." I say again.

"C'mon blondie. Maybe we could-"

"Naveen!" Harry says walking over. "I've been looking for you everywhere. Sorry I'm late." He grabs my hand. "Should we go now?"

"I don't know." I say. _Where is he going with this?_

"Seriously, do you want your dad to get mad at me?" He asks. _Wait, what- HOLY FUCK!_ Harry leans in and begins making out with me. I mean, _REALLY_ making out with me. I can only imagine what Dad would say if he came over and saw me pressed into Harry's bare chest while _kissing_ him. I pull away from him.

"I think we should stay here. Let my dad come and find us." I say. "Sorry Zane, maybe another time." I say

"Yeah, whatever." He says walking off. As soon as he's gone I slap Harry clear across the face.

"What the fuck you bastard?" I say in a whisper through gritted teeth. Harry begins laughing.

"If a guys asks you out the best way to get rid of him is for _another_ guy to come over and begin making out with her." He explains. "Peter was right. You _are_ a good kisser."

"You are so sick." I say smiling.

Later that night Harry and I order non-virgin pina coladas and make a big show out of saying 'non-virgin.' I think the bartender knew we were under age, but let us have them anyways. After drinking two each and peeing like 900 times, we head down to the beach and build a huge bonfire. After dancing around it for an hour like drunken idiots (which we are) we throw in my old, sad, baggy, black clothes. Harry lets out a loud "whoo!" Then I scream out with him. We're like howling wolves. Watching my clothes go up in flames is like anew start. They represent Naveen Briar. The sad, tired, little girl. They are a symbol of The Worst Days. True, I can never wash away the scars the The Worst Days left on me, inside and out. But I won't let them drag me down anymore. When I get back to my room I fall on the bed and listen to Mylo Xyloto. That's how I feel right now, the instumental is starting up. Now all the memories are flooding into my mind. It's the alcohol, the feeling of new, the excitment, I'm giddy. Now it's straight into Hurts Like Heaven. I dancing around my room like an idiot. _Peter likes me. Peter likes me. _

_"Written in graffiti on a bridge in a park, 'do you ever get the feeling that you're missing the mark?' It's so cold, it's so cold. It's so cold, it's so cold."_


	15. Chapter 15

**Hi there everyone! Don't worry, you don't have to call the cops (and my husband) I wrote this chapter and then it didn't save so I got really mad and tried to make it better than the first time I wrote it. In this chapter we find out one of Kindra's _smaller_ problems. But we also get some of that romantic stuff I've been getting requests for since Chapter 7's kiss in the rain. SPINDRA!**

Chapter 15- A Better New Year's Eve Memory

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

She'd sent me so many pictures, videos, postcards, emails... But when Kindra came back I was still excited for tonight. I've been wanting to replace her bad memory with a new one. I just hope that Lotus won't get in the way. She left me alone for all of Decemeber, maybe it was a holiday present. My cell rings.

"Hello." I say.

"Hey Peter, I'm excited for tonight." Kindra says. "It's so good to be back."

"I'm just glad that we don't have to worry about the whole time-difference thing anymore." I say. "Once again, I'm sorry I called you at four in the morning."

"Hey, there's no better time to talk about your feelings than when the birds aren't even awake, right?" She says cheerfully. "So what time are you gonna _swing_ by?"

"Well, I'm _picking you up_ at eleven." I say going along with her.

"Are we still going to see the ball drop from another one of your hiding places?" Kindra asks.

"Yes we are." I say.

"Okay Peter, but just so you know, there's an OSCORP party at my house starting at seven and it goes until two am."

"So am I invited?"

"You need a tux if you're coming."

"Then I will have to decline that invitation." I say. She laughs.

"Pleeeease? I want to see you dressed up all fancy-like."

"You will. Prom is only a few months away."

"I knoooow. But those months are soooo looong." Kindra moans. Now it's my turn to laugh. "There's going to be a lot of people at my house. So you'll have to be reeeeally, suuuuper, sneaky." I just keep laughing. She keeps talking like she's a little kid.

"Okay, I think I can do that." I say.

"Oh, one other thing."

"Hmmm?"

"Harry tied me to the roof of the car, held a gun to my head, threatened my life, and made me buy a dress in Honolulu." Kindra says. "It's very pretty and I can't breathe in it."

"Okay. I'm looking forward to seeing you tonight." I say laughing. "Bye Kindra."

"Bye byes."

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

"Bond." Harry says sliding across the polished floor. "James Bond." He makes a fake gun with his hands, points it, and shoots. Even if Harry's my brother, I have to say he looks pretty good in a tux. Even Dad is cleaning up nicely.

"Bernard, did you take care of the drinks?" He asks. Everyone is running around getting ready for the OSCORP kick-off party.

"Yes sir. They're all on ice." He says. The caterers are setting up. It's noon and everyone is dressing up already. I hang upside down from the banister on the staircase.

"Kindra, please don't do that." Dad says. I let out a groan and hop down. "Why aren't you changed yet?"

"Changed? You never told me I was part Transformer!" I say. Dad smacks a hand to his forehead. "The party isn't until seven silly duck, I'll have plenty of time to get ready."

"Ms. Briar," Bernard says. "The phrase is 'silly goose', I believe."

"Geese get too much attention, ducks don't get enough." I snap. "Harry?"

"Whaaaaat?"

"How much time is left?"

"I don't know, six hours forty-five minutes." He says.

"Too loooong." I moan. "Harry?"

"Whaaaaat?"

"I'm going to look stupid." I say.

"No you're not. You look nice in your dress." He says.

"No I don't." I say. "It's too loooooong."

"Harry?"

"WHAT?" He shouts.

"When do I have my hair cut?"

"I don't know, like in an hour."

"Too loooong."

"I know it's a long time to wait, but trust me. The guy who's cutting your hair is supposed to be-"

"No, not the tiiiiime Harry. I'm talking about my hair. It's too looooong." I say fingering the ginger-blonde locks that fall to my elbows. "Oh. So is the waiting time."

"Harry?"

"Yes Kindra?"

"Do you think Peter will kiss me at midnight?"

"Yeah." Harry says. "Kindra, Peter would be an idiot not to. So what, you're a little off in the head?"

"I'm mad as a hatter." I say in a British accent. "But I'll tell you a secret, all the best people are."

"No duh baby sister." Harry says. "Why else do you think I do stupid things once a month?"

"Only once a month?"

"Okay, all month long for the fifteen months in a year." Harry jokes. "Do you wanna go eat peanut butter straight out of the jar and see how long it takes before Dad yells at us?"

"Are there three types of symbiosis?" I ask him.

"I don't know what that means but I'll take it as a yes." Harry says smiling.

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

"Did you really think that I would give you an entire holiday off?" Lotus hisses dodging a web. Today she's in a new corset, red leather with black lace and black nylons instead of fishnets. "You knew I was going to come by to kiss you on New Year's Eve."

"Well," I say jumping over a knife and picking it up. "I thought you'd made an early resolution or something." She darts across the room.

"You have faith in everyone. That is the one thing that will hurt you the most." She says. I jump onto the ceiling. "Come down from there!"

"Nah, I think I like it up here." I say. Lotus pulls out a green whip that looks like a vine, wait what the- _ouch._ She wraps it around my leg and pulls me towards her. She fastens it back into her belt. I stand up and would come face to face with her, well, if she weren't two inches shorter than me.

"I won't tell your girlfriend." Lotus says exhaling deeply. There it is again. Something hits me in the face. All I want is Lotus. _LotusLotusLotusLotusLotus._ I can't deny her.

"What she doesn't know won't hurt her." I say pinning her against the wall. Smirking, she exhales again, and peels my mask halfway up. I press myself into her, exploring her mouth with my tongue. Letting her do the same with me.

"I'd like you Spider-Man." She says in between kisses. "You're different." She pinches a spot on my back where Kindra's stitching is still healing. In pain I fall to the ground. "But that doesn't make you any less easy to manipulate." She smashes a window with her fist. One of Green Goblin's sliders comes up to the window. "See you later Spider-Man." Lotus hops on, cackles, then zooms out of sight. I grab the spot she attacked with her finger nails. No blood. Kindra has good hands. Oh God, Kindra. Why do I keep doing this? I like _her._ Not Lotus. But when I'm around _her_ that changes. Lotus does something to you. _Toxin-X and Venom._ She'd said something about that. Chemicals Green Goblin stole from OSCORP. He didn't really steal them since he _is_ Norman Osborn. I going to have to do some snooping. Maybe Kindra knows something about them. Or someone at the OSCORP party.

I'm going to need a tux.

* * *

...KINDRA ...

* * *

"Hold still!" Harry shouts at me.

"Can't. Breathe." I say hoarsely.

"Just a little longer!" He shouts again.

"I. Need. Oxygen!" I scream at him.

"Shut-up!" Harry yells at me. "Okay, you're done." I glance in the mirror at the midnight blue, floor length dress that I'm wearing. It's absolutely beautiful, but rather than the traditional zipper up back, this one laces up like a corset. There's only a few inches to tie up, but it hurts like hell. You can guess who raised their hand first when I needed it tied up. I run my hands over my waist and stomach.

"It's so tight." I moan quietly. The dress is strapless, backless, and clings to my skin as if the silk is wet. At the bottom it flares out at least, but I'd much rather be able to breathe easily than walk easily. I'm so bare and exposed. "Harry, you can see the slit marks." I say panicked. He nods. "And the lash mark where he hit me across the back."

"I know." Harry says.

"And the cut scars on my shoulders."

"Yep." Harry says. I fiddle with my fingers.

"I think I'm going to faint." I say hyperventilating. "Or have an episode. I need my meds!"

"The four words in the English langauge I _never_ thought I 'd hear you say in the same sentance." Harry says in awe. "I'll go get them." He jogs out of my room. My hands go up to feel the silky smooth hot-roller curls, one half of my hair pulled up, high over my ear secured with bobby pins. I examine myself from all angles. If someone wants to dance with me and they put their hand on my hip, their fingers will touch the bare skin on my back. The diamond necklace Harry gave me for Christmas rests on my collarbone. The dangly diamond earrings from Dad clipped into my earlobes. I should be feeling flawless and beautiful. I'm wearing Tiffany diamonds, a designer dress, and my hair has been given a new cut so hangs a few inches past my shoulders. I look like a lithe and natural creature. Yet I feel graceless and uncouth. I fiddle with my fingers again. If only I had the courage to write this down on paper, then I'd have easy grades for langauge. Why does Mr. Osko only want us to write papers on events and feelings? Harry comes back in with a glass of water and my ADHD crap and antidepressants.

"I can't have those two together." I say.

"Why not?" Harry asks trying to stay calm to keep _me_ calm. But instead that just makes me feel even more worried so I begin screaming at him.

"Because! The ADHD stuff makes me calm and the anitdepressants make me happy so if I mix the two together then I have no emotion!" I breathe heavily. This isn't an epesode, but it's really close. "So which do you want me to be, happy or calm?"

"I want you to be both." Harry says grabbing me by the shoulders. He turns me around to look in the mirror. "See, you look beautiful Kindra. Why can't you let other people see you for yourself? You are a classic beauty."

"That's _why_ I hate looking nice." I tell him. I try to think of how to explain it. "B-b-b-because, it's like since I _am_ blonde haired and blue eyed I have to be a certain type of person. I try to cover it up so when I do look nice people see me as beautiful. Does that make sense?"

"I guess so." Harry says. "But you do look really pretty. Just remeber, at nine o'clock Dad's presenting the OSCORP scientist of the year award so we all have to come down the staircase like we're royals or something." I laugh a little bit.

"Just make sure I don't trip in these." I say peeking my black heels out under the dress.

"Kindra," Harry says giving me a heartfelt smile. "I'm the one who's going to trip you." I smile again and give him a hug.

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

Besides looking good in a tux, I suck at being a spy. No one here has talked about anything called Toxin-X, or Venom. It's nine already.

"Excuse me, excuse me everyone." Dr. Connors taps the mircophone on the glass pedestal. The band stops playing jazz. People turn their attention to him and the glass trophy. "Tonight we celebrate a new year at OSCORP. But it's more than just science. It's the scientists. The company was founded by my good friend Norman Osborn, the President of OSCORP. Harry Osborn, his son, works in mechanics and will no doubt inherit the company in years to come. But his year, the Osborn family has opened their hearts and made a new addtion. Naveen Briar, a seventeen year old foster child, went into care of Dr. Osborn just a few months ago. Her knowledge of science was too smart to be taught even by college professers. Determined the his daughter had the best, Dr. Osborn had Naveen moved to work as OSCORP with me. On her very first day she made a breakthrough simply by asking the question, 'Fauna, why not Flora?' From there we have progressed vastly and the lotus flower syrum is almost ready for testing on humans." Everyone applauds. "So, without further adue, I present to you, the Osborn family!" From the top of the staircase the three of them descend, like they're royals or something. Norman in the front, with Harry and Kindra linked arm-in-arm behind him.

Wow. She looks flawless.

"Thank-you Curtis." Norman says. He takes the microphone. "Tonight OSCORP begins a new year. And so tonight I present the Scientist of the Year award to, my daughter, Naveen Briar." Another round of applause follows as Kindra steps forward and stutters a speech.

"I-I-I want t-to thank-k-k, my d-d-dad and my b-b-brother. Also, D-D-Dr. C-C-Connors. Thank-you. Enjoy the party." There she is. The stuttering Naveen Briar that I met on the first day of school. The band begins playing again. People go back to drinking and toasting and eating. I make my way through the crowd of people telling her 'Good job.' and 'You're so smart for someone your age.'

"Hey." I say. She sets her trophy on the pedestal.

"You!"

"Me!"

"But, you're here, and. I won!" She says.

"Yeah, congrats." I say hugging her. "You look, wow. I mean, wow. You look beautiful tonight." She brushes hair behind her ear.

"Told you my dress was pretty." Kindra mumbles. "I seriously can't breathe in this though." She fiddles with her fingers. "I'm on antidepressants right now. Sorry."

"Do you want to dance?" I ask her.

"Sure." She says taking my hand. "You look nice too." I spend the last hours of the year with her. Harry steals her for a few dances but mostly it's just her arms around my neck and my arms around her waist.

"It's time to go." I whisper to her at eleven. She nods.

"Dad," Kindra says tapping him on the shoulder. "I'm going to put my trophy in my room now." She grabs my wrist and I can see him translate this into, 'I don't want my midnight kiss with Peter to be on public display.'

"Okay." Norman says. He still glares at me when we walk up the stairs. She sets her trophy on a random shelf. Kindra opens up the doors to her balcony. I can see Times Square all lit up from here.

"Ready?" I ask her.

"Ready." Kindra says beaming. Her arms lock around my neck and she giggles when I snake one of mine around her waist.

"You really are on antidepressants, aren't you?" I ask. Kindra giggles again and nods. I shoot out a web and we're off. Unlike Gwen, Kindra has gotten the hang of this and doesn't freak out when I switch arms. I drop us off at the top of a skyscraper not too far from the ball drop.

"So, Peter," Kindra says. "Any resolutions this year?"

"Defeat Lotus and Green Goblin, graduate, apply to certain colleges, keep you out of trouble, and keep NYC out of trouble." I say. "You?"

"Make it to langauge on time, graduate, get a piano solo in the spring concert, keep _you_ out of trouble, get the lotus syrum ready for human testing, keep working at OSCORP, and apply to Julliard." Kindra says dazed.

"Julliard?" I ask.

"Yeah, I mean, my future is set at OSCORP for the rest of my life but it'd be nice. To, just, know that option is open." She says shrugging. "I could go there in a year or two, get an associate's degree, maybe a bachlor's..."

"Oh." I say. "You think you could get in with your paino, violin, and xylophone?"

"Hey! I'm pretty good for your information." Kindra say pushing my arm lightly. She looks down an mumbles, "I also sing. A little bit. Just a little."

"You sing?" I ask as loud as possible. She covers her face with her hands.

"A little bit. Just a little. It helps with my stutter. I never stutter when I sing." She says.

"Would you sing for me?" I ask.

"Maybe." Kindra says hiding her face in her hands. "I'll add it to my list of resolutions."

"Speaking of, why do you have 'make it on time to language' on there?"

"Meet me at my locker during passing time and I can show you."

"Okay." I say simling. "Only a few more minutes."

"Oh, great. Now it's snowing and this going to be super over the top cheesy." Kindra moans smiling. "Did you finish that assignment for class?"

"Another, 'find it online and read it out loud to class or journal about it' from Mr. Osko?" I ask. "Yeah."

" 'Find a poem that describes how you see yourself and paste it in your journal. Then explain your reasoning in a five paragraph essay.' " She says in an extremely low voice. "I found one that describes me perfectly." Kindra clears her throat, closes her eyes, and thinks hard. "Und es war fast ein Mädchen, und sie kam aus dass einzelne Seligkeit des Gesangs und Leier, und glänzte durch ihre Frühjahr-Schleier klar und machte sich ein Bett in meinem Gehör. Und schlief in mir. Und ihr Schlaf war alles: die Bäume, die jeweils, dass ich bewundert, diese wahrnehmbaren Abstände, die Wiesen fühlte ich mich, und jedes Wunder, das mich selbst betrifft. Sie schlief die Welt. Singender Gott, wie haben Sie so perfektioniert ihr, dass sie keine Forderung gestellt Zur ersten wach sein? Siehe, tauchte sie und schlief. Wo ist ihr Tod? O, werden Sie noch entdecken Dieses Thema, bevor sich dein Lied verzehrte? - Wo ist sie zu fallen, von mir? ... Ein Mädchen, fast ..."

"What in the heck does that mean?" I ask. Kindra bursts out laughing.

"It's German. Rilke." She says.

"But what does it mean?"

"I'll add telling you to my list of resolutions." Kindra says. I roll my eyes. "I always complete every humanly possible thing on my resolution list, just so you know."

"Okay." I say. The countdown starts and we can both hear it. "Ten."

"Nine."

"Eight."

"Seven."

"Six."

"Five."

"Four."

"Three."

"Two."

"One." Kindra breathes. As usual, she hesitates. But I lean in right away and I have to hold the back of her neck to makes sure she doesn't pull away. Kindra tastes like snow. It's not as nice as the rain, this time it's much colder- come to think of it how is she not shivering in that dress? But I don't really care, because she's here, that's all that really matters.


	16. Chapter 16

**Hola my friends! I just want to put this out there: I am so happy that Til' Kingdom Come by Coldplay was part of the Amazing Spider-Man soundtrack. What I'm not happy about is that I can't find it on iTunes! Anyone know how to find it? (On iTunes of course. I can't leave my house, because I MUST KEEP UPDATING!) This chapter is shorter, but I'll try to get the next one up today. So then, here's chapter sweet 16.**

Chapter 16- Everyone Has Feelings

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

I can't believe what I'm seeing. What I'm seeing is me, in a mini skirt. It's cute, and in a Naveen Briar cute kind of way. Not a Kimberly Evergreen cute kind of way. But I'm _wearing_ it. As in, _it's on my body_.

"Still checking yourself out baby sister?" Harry asks.

"A little." I admit. The hair cut. The new clothes. The new boyfriend. The new year. I feel weird, and happy at the same time. "No use wasting time, to OSCORP we go." I say. My new clothes are half what I bought in Hawaii, half what I bought from a hot guy in eyeliner at some store. Striped pink and black tank top, gray sweatshirt, mini skirt, black converse boots, and my trademark glasses that I recently got new lenses in.

"See, you look nice. This is you. Just soak it up." Harry says leading me to the car. "Tell me if you make it to language on time."

"I shall try." I say.

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

"So, this is why you're always late?" I ask Kindra.

"Yep." She says cringing at the couple making out on her locker. "Seventh hour is mating season I guess." Slowly she sneaks over to her locker, spins the combonation, and opens up the door a peek. She pulls her textbook out. "Okay, now we run." Kindra says bolting down the hallway. I run after her.

"Hey, why are you two so late?" Flash asks when we both come into class. Mr. Osko glares at us.

"Naveen, it's a new year, I'm going to give you a new start. Three strikes and you're out. That's means detention. Understand?"

"Y-y-y-es. Mr. Osk-k-ko." She stammers.

"Now then, please take out your journals." He says. "You will be working on the rough draft of your five paragraph essays. These essays will be the start of our final unit in this class: Who am I? At the end of the year I will ask you this question, your response will also be written in a five paragraph essay that will count for a third of your grade."

"Why dear God? Why?" Kindra whispers a few seats behind me.

"Now." Mr. Osko says. I open up my notebook to the page where I glued in a printed copy of my poem. And I begin to write. Over the next few weeks our class goes through the editing process. I finish my final copy and hand it in. By the end of the week our notebooks are handed back. I turn to the page with my final copy.

_When the heart is cut or cracked or broken_

_Do not clutch it_

_Let the wound lie open_

_Let the wind from the good old sea_

_blow in to bathe the wound with salt_

_and let it sting._

_Let a stray dog lick it_

_Let a bird fly in the hole and_

_sing a simple song_

_like a tiny bell and let it ring. _

_-Michael Leuing_

This peom relates to my life because, when I was young I lost both my parents. Everyone tried to help me, but they didn't understand that when you're hurt, you want to greive in peace. Eventually you get over it. But last year my Uncle Ben was shot and he died. They say that death comes in threes and I guess it's true, because Captain Stacy was killed as well as my girlfriend Gwen Stacy. And everyone wanted to talk to me and ask me about my feelings. But really, I just wanted peace.

'When a heart is cracked cut or broken do not clutch it' To me this part of the poem means that if you're greiving and the pain is still fresh, let it be. You'd just be making it worse, you have to let time heal you. When you're young you don't really understand what death is. You just know that it's scary and that it only happens to the evil people in the Disney movies. But when it happens to you when you're young it hurts. It hurts because you don't get it. How can someone be gone and never come back? Sometimes when you see a little kid not understand something bigger than they are like love, death, war, hatred, peace, or racism, you want to grab them by their shoulders and shout in their faces 'It's death! That's what happens in life! You live, you die, the end!' But you can't do that to a little kid. They're fragile, and something like death can scar them forever. So you just tell them that everything will be fine and that they should behave themselves.

'Let the wound lie open let the salt from the good old sea blow in to bathe the wound with salt and let it sting' This next line in the poem sugguests that maybe one or two people should try to talk to you. Because you need your heart to hurt. That means that you have heart and you can feel the pain you're in. You should let the person be alone to let them adapt to their new life.

'Let a stray dog lick it let a bird fly in the tiny bell and sing it a simple song and like a tiny bell let it ring' The final stanzas of the peom sugguest that with from strangers can be useful. A friend can tell you it's okay, but you know them, you know that their mom and dad are alive and well. Maybe they aren't, maybe their mom and dad are dead too, so you know that you'll be sad because they were sad when it happened to them. So you can't alwasy rely on your friends. Sometimes it's things in nature that help you, or advice you see somewhere out of the blue. But everything can help you.

The peom leaves you hanging. It doesn't give a step-by-step to recovery. It only gives you sugguestions. But not everyone is the same. Some people like to be left alone and push away anyone who tries to help. Others want as much attention as possible. But when my parents died, I mostly became numb. If a person tried to help, it left little impact on me. I wanted to scream at the therapists, the counclers, may family, and my friends. I wanted to get up and shout 'You don't understant! You're parents are alive! Mine just left me here when I wanted to go with them! They wouldn't let me! You don't get it.' What I really wanted was someone else who understood.

Death is easier than life. It's peaceful and easy. Life is hard. In life you can hurt, you can hurt others. Death is queit. Death is nothing. Maybe lots of people thinkt that death is better than life. In fact, lots of people did think that or do think that. I mean, people commit suicide, right? But if you're dead then you don't know what could've been. So you have to try and live til' the next day. All you can do is 'let it ring'.

_**A+ **Excellent work Peter! I'm really glad to see you open up for this unit. It was a good poem to choose for your situation. There were a few mistakes here and there, but overall, great job._

_-Mr. O_

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

It's a Friday night. What am I doing? Helping my boyfriend with his homework. I'm on Peter's bedroom floor yelling at him that you need to line up the decimals.

"Come on Peter." I say tapping his textbook with the end of my eraser. "You know this."

"Yes. I know this. I just faked being bad so you'd come over and help me." Peter says smirking. "This is the extra credit homework."

"Tell me you're joking." I groan. Peter pulls out the exact same homework sheet, completed.

"And I already finished it." He says grinning. "Don't slap me!"

"Oh Peter, I don't slap people. Slapping is rude." I pick up his text book and bonk him on the head. "I hit people on the head with heavy things."

"Okay, last math problem," Peter says. "One bored girlfriend, plus one extremely hot boyfriend equals..."

"I don't remember that in your textbook." I joke. Peter leans in and kisses me.

"It equals one kiss." He says.

"Just one?" I ask. My cellphone rings. "Oh. I guess it does." I search through my backpack. "Hello?"

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

The color drains from her face.

"What?... Are-are you sure, it c-c-c-could be someone else and-" She swallows hard and blinks back tears. "Yeah. Yeah I-I-I understand. I'll-I'll be there. I'll try to get there tonight."

"Kindra, who was that?" I ask. She zips up her backpack and stands up.

"I gotta go." She says leaving the room. I follow her. Kindra hurries down the stairs.

"Kindra, who was that?" I ask again. She stops at the door and turns around to face me.

"They found my dad."


	17. Chapter 17

**Hi hi! Told you I'd try to get this up on the same day. So now then, I won't stall you. Chapter 17.**

Chapter 17- Real Love

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

My dad didn't die. After I was sent to a foster home he went into rehab. All these years he's been alive. He never even tried to contact me. At least I had an excuse. But now he really is dead. O.D. I went to the funeral. I made a speech. He was laid to rest next to Mom. I'm back in school.

But not really.

Everyone is pointing at me. I hate it. I don't want to be talked to. But even Flash stopped picking on me. I hate this. I hate my life. I hate myself. I hide in the bathroom at lunch. I don't talk to anyone. I haven't said anything since he died. Not a single word. I just won't speak. I don't want to speak ever again. At lunch last week Peter was sent into the girl's bathroom to talk to me. The guidence councler thought he'd have better luck. But I didn't say anything. He kept asking me questions that they'd probably made him memorize. I just sat there. Knees hugged to my chest, facing the corner, I didn't even look at him. I just wept and made quiet moaning sounds. I cry myself to sleep at night. I don't even work at OSCORP in the mornings. I just stay in bed until Bernard knocks on my door to wake me up. Then he drives me to school. I've recently come up with my lastest personal quote to replace Dr. Suess':

Life sucks.

Get used to it.

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

She isn't dead. But Kindra might as well be with the way she's acting. With her being numb, me being lonley, Lotus being avaliable... things happened. Green Goblin would rob a bank or something like that. I just let her hands run all over me. I let her kiss me. I'm still letting her do it.

"Damn it Peter you're getting good at this." Lotus hisses. Her wrists are pinned to the wall, curtisy of my webbing. The cops come in. "Don't let them take me away Spider-Man. I'm not a bad girl. I just need you to whip me into shape." She pouts.

"Damn, you're good Lotus." I say as an officer clips handcuffs onto her wrists.

"I try my best." She says tossing blonde hair over one shoulder. Then in a three seconds, she has her handcuffs off, the officer knocked out, and me pinned to the wall. "Is it good enough?"

"Yeah. You're great." I say. She breathes in my face. Green Goblin comes out of the safe with bags of money.

"We're ready sweetheart." He says. Still studying me, Lotus smiles.

"Perfect." She says. She peels up my mask and kisses me one last time. She slices a cut in my shoulder and kisses my neck leaving her lipstick stain as usual. "Bye byes Spider-Man. Tell your weak girlfriend I said hello." Lotus says hopping onto the same slider as Green Goblin. I pull my mask off. Nobody's around. I glance at the cut on my shoulder. I head out for Kindra's. In a few minutes I'm there. I land quietly on her balcony. From looking in the windows, I know that only Bernard is here. He's got to know about Norman being the green guy. Maybe he already knows about me being the _other_ guy. I watch her for a few moments. Reading The Great Gastby for the hundredth time, eyes glassy. From the book or her inside pain I don't know. Ever so lightly, I tap on the glass. She turns around without making a sound and sees me. Kindra walks over to the doors and lets me in.

"Hey," I say. But already I can see her checking me over for the injuries. "It was Lotus again. I thought I got her, but she's just so fast and quick... On my shoulder right there." I say pointing. Kindra runs her fingers over the edge of the cut. "How deep?" I ask.

Kindra holds her thumb and her index finger about and inch apart.

"Stiches?" I ask.

She nods. I peel down the top of the suit while she goes into her bathroom. Kindra comes back out with a needle, a morphine shot, and a box of matches. After disinfecting the needle and cleaning up around the cut she goes to work with the morphine numbing out her quick stitching. The whole time it's so quiet it's scary. She keeps her eyes on my shoulder.

"I am going to be okay?" I ask when she's done. Kindra's face remains emotionless when she nods. Then she rolls me onto my stomach to check on the big cut on my back. She bites her lip, applies new stitches, and finishes with rubbing alcohol. Then goes to work fixing up the little scrapes and bruises. Her eyes linger on the lipstick stain Lotus left on me.

"It's... she does it to everyone." I tell her. "It's like kissin' Kate from Holes." Kindra nods her head. She wipes the spot away. Kindra believes me. "I, I know that... It's hard, but-" She stops and throws her arms around my neck. "It's okay." I tell her. "It's fine. You and me, we're gonna be okay." Kindra pulls away. "You'll be fine. I'll be fine. We'll be fine." I reasure her. I cradle her face in my hand. "I won't get hurt." As if on cue I hear a scream. Kindra nods her head towards the balcony. She smiles weakly.

It's a start.

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

I knew he would come back. Peter always comes back after a job when I worried about him. The spider suit has been replaced by his everyday clothes.

"Hey," He says landing on the balcony. "You waited for me-"

"I want to show you something." I say quickly cutting him off. I don't know which one of us is more shocked that I'm speaking. Peter nods his head.

"Okay." He says. I grab his wrist and lead him down the stairs and into the living room. I sit at the piano bench. I fiddle with my fingers a bit. Then I begin to play the first few notes. I know what I'm going to play. I close my eyes. I need to go into my Calm Zone. Since Dad's death, I have played music every single day. I can't handle having a no-music day anymore. I almost wish I'd said yes to Dr. Greene, my therapist, when she asked me if I wanted to take vocal lessons. Besides counclers and therapists I've only sung for Emily. That was when I was a measly fifteen year old. I'm seventeen now. In three months I'll be eighteen. I haven't sung a note since then. Who knows if I can even sing anymore? My fingers keep playing the intro, I can do that now. Just play notes while I'm thinking about the randomest things. Randomest, is that even a word? Oh crap I have to sing in three, two, one.

_"All my little plans and schemes  
Lost like some forgotten dream  
Seems that all I really was doing  
Was waiting for you_

_Just like little girls and boys_  
_Playing with their little toys_  
_Seems like all they really were doing_  
_Was waiting for love_

_Don't need to be alone_  
_No need to be alone_

_It's real love, yes it's real love  
Oh it's real love, yes it's real love." _

How apropriate for me this song seems, Regina Spektor's cover for Real Love by John Lennon. It sums up my whole life. Who I am. I tried so hard to convince Mr. Osko to let me use song lyrics instead of a poem. But now this song holds something else for me. It was the song that ran through my mind while on my first offical date with Peter, well, he was Spider-Man when it happened... But the song still ran through my mind. I continue on with the next set of lyrics,

_"From this moment on I know_  
_Exactly where my life will go_  
_Seems that all I really was doing_  
_Was waiting for love_

_Don't need to be afraid_  
_No need to be afraid_

___It's real love, yes it's real love  
Oh it's real love, yes it's real love."_

I'm trying so hard to make this the most beautiful thing I've ever played. I almost want to open my eyes to make sure that I'm pressing on the right keys. But, really, I know that I know these notes better than the back of my hand. I keep my voice steady. Singing in my... chest voice. That's what it's called. I make everything so _legato_ and I add _svorzandos_. The song is graceful and willowy. For the first time in a long time, I feel the same way.

_"Thought I'd been in love before,_  
_But in my heart I wanted more_  
_Seems like all I really was doing_  
_Was waiting for you_

_Don't need to be alone_  
_No need to be alone_

_It's real love, yes it's real love_  
_Oh it's real love, yes it's real love_  
_Oh it's real love, yes it's real love  
__Oh it's real love, yes it's real love  
__Oh it's real love, yes it's real love_  
_Oh it's real love, yes it's real love  
__Oh it's real love, yes it's real love."_

With each repeat my voice gets louder, I can hear the notes from the piano blending with the melody of my voice, they create a beautiful harmony that bounces off the walls of the empty house. The music fills me up, I am the music. I sing the final verse in a _piano _voice, soft as I dare.

_________"Oh it's real love, yes it's real love__..."_

I open my eyes and turn towards Peter. I push up my glasses and blink a few times. "W-w-what d-do you think?" I stutter.

"It's beautiful. You sing beautiful. It's like, really good." Peter says. "Isn't it a Beatles song?" I nod my head. He sits next to me. "I, I understand you. You understand me. We're all messed up. So, I'm going to help you through this, but I need you to help me too. Okay?" I nod my head again. I hug him again.

"It's just hard." I say sniffing. "You think that everything is going to be okay, and then something happens to knock you off your feet. And, it-it hurts. It hurts Peter."

"I know." He says. He grabs my shoulders and looks at me. "But, my life sucks too. We're gonna figure it out together, okay?" I nod again and wipe my nose on my sleeve. It still hurts. I thought I could be strong, but it was really just an illiusion. "Will you be my date to the Valentine's dance on Friday?" I laugh a little bit.

"Sure." I say. "I meet you at your house. If you pick me up I swear, Harry's going to make a huge-ass deal out of it." Peter nods and smiles. I lean in and kiss him. He smiles again.

"I-I-I think, I'm better now." I tell him. I glide my fingers over the black and white keys, re- playing the tune softly. "That night, you picked me up as Spider-Man, this was the song going through my mind."

"Do songs go through your head often?" Peter asks. I nod.

"Til' Kingdom Come by Coldplay was the one on my mind when I kissed you for the first time." I say half dazed. Police sirens. They can really ruin a moment.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Peter says leaving. I nod my head. I feel all alone again. So then I do the only thing I can think of to numb my pain.

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

On Monday Kindra has a new hoodie.

It's black.

**...**

**Hello, I really wanted to put this note down here even though I don't usually. First off, I love the Real Love cover by Regina Spektor, it's a great song. I recomend listening to it. Also, Til Kingdom Come is another epic one. This weekend I got bored so I was listening to it in the background while reading Chapter 7. If you're bored then I reccomend that as well. Start the song when Peter's talking about Kindra in the dark, before he makes the 'professional sitter' comment. I promise you all that there will be a huge battle scene towards the end of the book. This was just some romantic fluff. I'm not going to go into detail about Kindra and Peter at the V-Day dance in the next chapter because it doesn't seem like something either of them would really want to go into detail about. Whoa, this note is getting long so I'm to finish it up with this last piece: GUMMY BEARS!**


	18. Chapter 18

**SURPRISE! It's not really a surprise, since I'm an updating maniac... But still, I like to say surprise. This story is about to go into its twenties. *sniff, sniff* They grow up so quickly! And I plan on at least 5-7 more chapters and depending on how well it goes, maybe a sequal? If you guys would read it of course. Anyways, just PM or comment and here's your next chapter. P.S. I was really stoopid before... I already have Til' Kingdom Come on my iPod! I downloaded the whole X&Y album on there last spring! Silly me!**

Chapter 18- Science Is Helpful Sometimes

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

The Valentine's Day dance wasn't much. The highlights included Flash apologizing to me and Peter, then Kimberly screaming at him, "What? Why? She's not even hot!" (Even though they're not dating anymore) She got over it when crowned Sweetheart Queen. Typical high school drama. The rest of February went by consisting of melting gray slush, my bedroom becoming an ER, and sitting on Peter's rooftop telling each other stupid things that aren't really nessesary in a relationship. (Unless you're a character in a romance novel.) I'm back at OSCORP now, preparing my syrum for human testing. Peter doesn't even have homework after school anymore. We're on Spring Break right now. I expected that my dad would have some over the top family vacation ready, but instead, needed to go back to Greece to search for _more_ Lotus flowers. And go figure that one of Harry's older and _smarter_ fellow scientists is getting married in the bride's hometown of Melbourne, Australia. So now I'm at my house, bored as heck (I don't say 'bored as hell' because I don't see how eternal burning in the Underwold is boring.) with nothing to do. My cell rings, it seems to always do that when I'm bored.

"Hola." I say.

"Hi, it's me." Peter says.

"Yeah, when is it not you?" I tease. I hear him wheeze in the background. "Are you okay?"

"No, I think, ouch-"

"Lotus again?"

"Yeah. She was alone this time." Peter says. "I'll be at your house in like two seconds."

"Please tell me it's not stitches again."

"No, just, I think... she burned me with her skin."

"_What?_" I ask.

"I'll explain when I'm there." He says. "Bye." I run upstair to my room and he's already there.

"Holy crap, Peter! What the hell happened to you?" I shout. He sits down against my bed and I run over to examine his face. His skin is shiny and bright red right along his jaw.

"Okay, Lotus wears gloves all the time. And today she took one off, and touched my face." Peter says.

"Wait, she knows who you are?" I ask. Peter nods. "Do you realize how bad that is? What if she murders you when we're in school?"

"Last time that happened, it was Dr. Connors and everything was fine." He says. I don't yell at him that a lot of people died. I just nod my head. I run my fingers along Peter's jaw line.

"It's bad. Like, really bad." I say worried. "I can't tell what kind of a burn it is. I don't think it's typical heat burn, I'm thinking along the lines of a chemical burn. But I've _never_ seen anything like this."

"So now what?" Peter asks.

"Now, you change, and we go over to OSCORP." I say. "I can run a few tests on you there."

Peter and I take a cab to OSCORP tower, he hides his face with his hood. I cover my hands with my sleeves by balling up my hands and holding the cloth. Peter glances at my cotton fists.

"I thought you were wearing gray." He says after awhile.

"Some people drink, some people work out, some people paint, some people write..." I trail off leaving 'some people cut' off the list. "I buy black clothing."

"Okay." Peter says. He pauses for a long time. "You look nice in any color."

"Thanks." I say. I move closer to him, my arms look like black spaghetti noodles locking around his neck. I rest my head on his chest, every few moments he grits his teeth from the pain on his face.

"If you two want to start kissing back there don't mind me." Our cab driver says. Peter manages a smile, I just close my eyes and hope that the burn on Peter's face is nothing. "Really, last year some seniors got back from their prom and had sex right in front of me." Peter laughs, I smile. When we get out of the cab I give our driver a very nice tip and grip Peter's hand while pushing open the door.

"Excuse me miss, no one is allowed in here for the week but secretaries, janitors, and special scientists." Says the lady at the desk.

"Um, uh, c-c-could you just..." I begin. "Maybe if you knew who I was then-"

"Hey," She says. "I'm not allowed to let high school interns through. Sorry." I whip out my badge.

"I'm Norman Osborn's daughter, I work with Dr. Connors, I won scienctist of the year," I growl. "If I'm not considered a 'special scientist' then you can call my dad and _personally_ ask if I could please take time out of _my_ vacation to do some extra work." She glances at Peter.

"Hola senior." She says to him with a slight accent. "Volver para la de trabajo intern?"

"Usted y yo sabemos que yo no era el intern. Por favor, no llame a la policía." Peter says very quietly, still hiding his face. He nods towards me. "Soy la novio." Why did I sign up for German? I knew I should've taken Spanish.

"You can come through, he can't." She says finally. "Practically broke in last year."

"His dad was Richard Parker." I snap. "If you still can't let him through, he's my guest. Of couse, you can always call my dad, Dr. Osborn, the founder of OSCORP-"

"No! No, I don't think I need to call him." She says.

"Thank-you." I say. Peter takes my hand and we walk over to the vacant escolader.

"Por favor dime que no vas a besar up allí." The secratary shouts. Peter laughs a little bit.

"What?" I ask. He shakes his head while smiling in that weird way that he always does. I lead him to my office and slide my badge through that card reader thingy, I still don't know what it's called.

"Welcome Dr. Briar." Says the robot greeting system when I enter my password into the computer. Everything lights up and turns on.

"Whoa." Peter says jumping back when a touchscreen near him glows green. "_Dr_. Briar?"

"Yes. That's my official title here." I say. I begin tapping files out of the way. Peter looks at a few screens walking around.

"You have a lot of stuff here." He says looking at a plant profile of our lotus flower. "Hey, do you think that Lotus is using your syrum? Maybe you've already had your human testing."

"I don't know. That would explain her name choice." I say.

"She did say that the Green Goblin broke into OSCORP and got her two special chemicals." Peter says. "Toxin-X and Venom."

"I might know something about that." I say remembering Dad and Dr. Connors disscusing it. "Okay Peter, come over here now." Peter sits in my office chair. I pull a holographic pen from the computer. "Now hold still." I outline the shape of the burn on his face. When I finish the computer automaticcally graphs out lines on Peter's face where I outlined.

"Okay, so you guys have made some improvments since the last time I was here." Peter says. I nod my head, bringing the graphed out spot over to the computer to analyze.

"This is galena." I say suddenly. "See those metallic flecks, definately galena. The lead is what's making this hurt so much."

"Analysis complete." The computer says.

"Oh my God." I say. "Peter, there's python venom on your face! And... Aloe vera. What the hell...?" I trail off. "What did you say were the names of the chemicals that Green Goblin got Lotus?"

"Venom and Toxin-X." Peter says. "Why?" I begin searching on my computer.

"Toxin-X, the code name for a chemical substance created by the OSCORP science faclity." I read out loud. "Toxin-X is a series of elements combined with ingredients that turn on romance in the brain. Lavander, coco, saltwater, sulfur, nicotine, and nectar from the OSCORP lotus flower. Toxin-X is injected like a vaccine and goes into the bloodstream. Once in the bloodstream, Toxin-X releases out of the mouth and nose. Venom is the name for another scientific substance blending the three ingredients python venom, the galena mineral, and aloe vera. Venom is a lotion-like substance, rubbed onto the skin. It makes one literally untouchable. The python venom and galena burn human skin on contact. The aloe vera protects whoever is wearing Venom. Making it two sided, one side deadly, the other helping the skin."

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

"So basically Toxin-X makes you fall in love with someone, and they breathe it out." I say processing. "That would mean that the nicotine would literally make you addicted to being around them." _That's why when I'm around her I forget about Kindra. It's like smoking a ciggarette!_ "And Venom- that's why her skin is sparkly! It's the lead flecks in the galena."

"I'm looking at some of the pictures of Lotus online and I can see what you mean when you say her skin glitters." Kindra says. "The strange thing is, there's only one spot that isn't glittering, not like the rest of her."

"What?" I ask.

"It's her lips." Kindra says. "She's probably got some kind of lipgloss on that blocks out Venom. But why would she do that?" _So she can make out with me. Then seduce me _while_ making out with me._

"So she can leave that lipstick stain on everyone's necks." I say.

"I can get an antidote for your face." Kindra says. "Just, don't get too close to her."


	19. Chapter 19

**It's pouring rain outside my house right now. That's nice for four reasons: 1) We're going through a drought right now so we need the rain. 2) With nothing to do outside my parents don't yell at me for hogging the computer. 3) I love the smell of rain and I've been randomly jumping outside and rolling around in the wet grass. 4) It gives me insperation. So now we know a little more about Lotus. Looks like the medling kids are about to solve the mystery! (I've been babysitting a girl who loves Scooby-Doo. It's great cuz all she does is watch her episodes and talk to me about who the villian is. It sucks because I have the 'what's new scooby-doo' theme song is stuck in my head.) Time for a fluffy chapter! Let's just say I noticed that every time Peter and Kindra kiss it's always been Kindra's POV... Also, the fluff goes- sour at the end. *smirks and walks away***

Chapter 19- Moments Alone

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

It's already halfway through April. Kindra is having a ball with all this rain. She refuses to wear anything more than a tank top and jeans when she runs outside. The rain is still cold and chills me to the bone. She couldn't care less. Kindra has also been taking guitar and voice lessons. I listen to her play.

"I started piano in fifth grade. I memorized the keys pretty quickly and now if you just give me a sheet of music I can play it like that." Kindra says one day after school. We're at her house and she's playing on the grand piano in the living room while talking to me slightly loudly. "In seventh grade when I needed excuses to stay after school besides science club I began violin. It was one of the smaller instuments and I liked the way it sounded more than a cello or viola. Anyone can play xylophone, the notes are right on the keys. But I have a few songs on there memorized. So now I'm going to try guitar. I can already play some of my favorite Coldplay songs."

"You really weren't kidding when you said that they're your hero." I say. Kindra finishes her piece with a flourish.

"Nope." She says. "I've recorded a few covers for songs. I've done Real Love, Till Kingdom Come, Us Against the World, and Wake Me Up When September Ends." Kindra taps her iPod a few times. "Listen."

_"Us Against the World, take three."_ There's a scuffle and the guitar begins.

"I think I got everything right as far as playing goes. I guess I did okay for singing." She says fiddling with the sleeves on her sweatshirt. It's the green one I saw her wear on the first day of school. It's strange to think of how much has changed since then. To wonder what would've happened if I'd just let Kimberly keep hurting her. If I hadn't been drawn to the new girl Naveen Briar. Would we be friends? Enemies? Would I have still found out her dad is already one of my enemies? Would I still come over to watch over her? I wouldn't know what _really_ happened to her. I'd just think she was mental. I wouldn't know what she's been been through. A small action that sent out a chain reaction to bring us here. Listening to her voice streaming out in clear notes.

_"Oh morning come bursting, the clouds, amen  
Lift off this blindfold, let me see again  
And bring back the water, let your ships roll in  
In my heart he left a hole_

_The tightrope that I'm walking just sways and ties_  
_The devil as he's talking with those angel's eyes_  
_And I just want to be there when the lightning strikes_  
_And the saints go marching in._

_Sing slow-ow-ow-ow it down_

_Through chaos as it swirls_  
_It's just us against the world._

_Like a river to a raindrop, I lost a friend_

_My drunken as a Daniel in a lion's den_  
_And tonight I know it all has to begin again_  
_So whatever you do, don't let go_

_And if we could float away_  
_Fly up to the surface and just start again_  
_And lift off before trouble_  
_Just erodes us in the rain,_

_Just erodes us in the rain,_

_Just erodes us and erodes us in the rain,_

_Sing slow-ow-ow-ow it down_  
_Slow-ow-ow-ow it down."_

There's a long instumental after that line. Kindra smiles at me and leans in close to my ear.

"Right now is the perfect time to kiss me." She whispers. I smile and lean in towards her. Kissing Kindra is different than kissing Lotus. With Lotus, all that matters is her hot wet lips burning into my skin. Groping parts of me that are pinched in the suit. With Lotus, the way she touches and kisses me screams, _I want you._ Kindra is so scared and delicate, when she reaches out to wrap her arms around my neck, it's almost as if she's afraid I'll push her away. There's only one way kids at our school kiss each other. The girlfriend grabbing the boyfriend's arms, the boyfriend's hands on her hips, or groping her butt by sliding his hands into her back pockets. Whereas Kindra gets worried that touching my neck looks kinky. Sometimes I get worried that she'll turn away, and not kiss me as long as I want her to. So then I have to hold her jaw in place and lift up her neck. Kissing Kindra is different, she's so fragile I have to make sure I won't break her. I trace the curve of her lower lip with my tongue and I feel her shiver slightly. She pulls her mouth away, but keeps her forehead pressed against mine, craning her neck.

"Shhh." I whisper softly. Once again Kindra comes back to me. Her voice comes out again.

_"Through chaos as it swirls  
It's us against the world."  
_

Kindra pulls away again, still keeping her forehead against mine, her eyelashes tickling my face. Then she whispers softly along with her singing voice.

_"Through chaos as it swirls  
It's us against the world."  
_

"What do you think?" She asks. I laugh.

"I think you sound great." I say. I go in to kiss her again.

"Whoa! Whoa! PDA! Brother in the house, just warning you." Harry says entering the room. He glances at Kindra who hides her face in her sleeve-covered hands. "I knew it!" He shouts pointing at her. "I knew it, I knew it, I _knew it!_"

"Harry!" Kindra shouts standing up and running up to him.

"I knew it!" Harry says pointing at me. I laugh, and shake my head. Kindra jumps onto his back.

"Harry!" She shouts again. He gives her a piggy-back running around the living room. Kindra squeals and screams until he sets her down. I walk over to her.

"Fine, just don't-don't do that, when I'm in the room. Okay?" Harry says. I reach out and grab Kindra's hand and she pops her leg out. "Yeah, that, just, don't do that, that mushy gropy stuff." He says.

"You mean this stuff?" Kindra asks grabbing my face and smashing her mouth into mine. Her tongue goes crazy and she keeps her hands on my arms.

"Yeah, that." Harry says. "Just don't, oh God! Really Pete?" He asks as I slip my hands into Kindra's back pockets. "Okay, I'm getting out of here." Harry shouts walking backwards out of the room "Just, remember, what I said. On vacation."

"Harry!" Kindra shouts pulling away. Just for show I start kissing her neck.

"Oh, God, I'm leaving now." Harry says exiting the room. His voice echoes off the walls. He shouts one last time. "Remember what I said on the airplane!"

"Harry!" Kindra shouts back. She smiles at me. "That, was sexy. I didn't think I could pull off kissing you like that."

"Well, when you have great partner..." I trail off. "So what did Harry say to you, on the airplane?" I ask curiously.

"No sex." She whispers.

"If you're gonna do it, at least not while I'm in the house!" Harry hollars from another room. "A bowling alley, a car, just not in the house." Both of us laugh.

"Hey Peter!" Kindra shouts. "You wanna go bowling? Or on a drive?"

"Sure!" I shout back.

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

Peter and I go back to kissing, but now it's serious. I forget the fluff that happened on my balcony. All that matters is closing off the little space between me and Peter. I grip his biceps again as he pushes me into the wall behind us. The fancy framed black and white photgraphs above us shake slightly, but stay tacked up. I'm pressing myself into Peter, just feeling his mouth on mine. His hands slide down to my waist, then into my back pockets. At school, kissing Peter like this would attract popular girls to shout, "What are you trying to do, get pregnant?" But I'm a scientist, I know that kissing Peter won't get me pregnant. Not yet anyways. I pull away to gasp for breath. Peter slides down to gently press his lips over the spot on my neck where my dad pushed a lit cigarette into the skin. His breath raises goosebumbs all over me.

"Shhh." He whispers softly. "I won't break you." Break me. He knows that I'm breakable, very breakable. I fracture at the very sight of a kitchen sink. Peter pulls his hands out of my pockets and they move up my back, fingering my spine until they meet the back of my neck. "Shhhh." He says again bringing his hands to cup my face. I close my eyelids slowly as Peter gently brushes his lips over mine.

"That was amazing." I say opening my eyes and smiling. "I love you."


	20. Chapter 20

**This story now has 20 chapters! Since we made it to the twenty chapter mark, it's time for the climax of the story! We've had our building action, but after this it's all climax and falling action! Hooray! Now then, I hope you enjoy this important chapter that I made just for you. As you can see by the chapter name, something happens that a lot of people have been requesting to happen... ;)**

Chapter 20- Caught

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

Things at school are pretty good. Surprisingly enough, Peter and Flash are becoming friends. Kim hasn't apologized to me, but now all she does is roll her eyes whenever Peter and I are together. Harry keeps burning books and packets, so I wore a dress to school. It was very casual, and it was peach, my favorite color. It had long sleeves though, I even had them tailored so that they were extra long. I got a few compliments from people, it was a nice change. Something else that's nice, my latest breakthrough in discovering what makes Lotus... Lotus.

"See?" I ask Peter. "The goblin chemical, or the failed steriod from OSCORP, is inhaled as a gas. But when injected it creates a magnetic connection between two people. They literally become atractted to each other. The magnetic feilds can change the way that you think-"

"Making whoever was injected... Under Green Goblin's control." Peter says tracing his fingers along the equation I've written across my large white board. "Like hypnosis."

"Right." I say adding on. Then I make a few notes. "Once injected Lotus is under his power, however, she comes out of her trance when the steriod runs out. Unless she has a key word that pulls her out. And because some Lizard chemical is used, it also changes her physical apperence."

"The Lizard chemical is what gives Lotus fangs and a forked tongue." Peter says.

"Her purple eyes and pale skin." I add.

"I bet the whole 'cold blooded' thing sucks the color out of her hair too." He says. "That's why she's a white blonde."

"The length of her hair is also affected." I say checking something. "It grows longer. And she shrinks. That's why she's short."

"So we're looking for someone who's not a bleach blonde, taller than five six, and isn't naturally pale." Peter says.

"Well that narrows it down." I joke. "Whoever it is doesn't even _know_ that she's Lotus. There's no way that any knowledge could pass between the personalities. You become two different people."

"Talk about being two-faced." Peter says. He changes the subject. "You really don't mind doing this instead of celebrating your birthday?"

"Yeah." I say. "If it weren't for Harry jumping out at me with a rubber chicken dressed as a clown this morning I would have completely forgotten." I don't add that Dad gave me the keys to an adorable dark blue porsche. "Although, a visit from Spider-Man would be a nice present." Peter pulls the mask out of his backpack. "You're good." I say smirking. Peter pulls off his shirt revealing the suit underneath.

"I know." He says.

I'm wearing my peach dress again, this time with nice shoes. Since today is Monday and there was no school yesterday, I'm celebrating today.

"Hey Naveen." Flash says waving to me in the hall. "Happy birthday." I duck my head down and push hair behind my ear.

"Thanks." I say smiling. Peter runs up to me and holds my cloth hand. He gently kisses my cheek.

"Somebody's an adult today." He says smiling. He holds out a piece of paper for me. "I hanging up some pictures, the princepal wanted me to give this to you... That same somebody is also going to be valedictorian." Peter says.

"This rocks." I say smiling. "But you know how bad I am at speeches, so I'm going to need someone's help..." I say stretching out hands farther apart.

"I could help you." He says pulling me back in.

"Okay then, you'll help me." I say kissing him. "Gotta get to class Mr. Parker. I'll see you at lunch."

"Mmmm hmmm." Peter says biting his lower lip. I turn around and wave good-bye heading to my 'guidence councler' hour. Half way down the hall I turn around to see Peter skipping down the hall with his hands in his pockets. He looks so funny I can't help but laugh.

* * *

... ... ...

* * *

"Be prepared, it's tomorrow that we release the film."

"I know boss, I've been counting down the days you know."

"It's going to all work out perfectly. I edited everything so that we only see what will hurt her."

"I finally get to fight her. I can't believe you didn't tell me before."

"I'm sorry my little pet, it's fine. As long as Curtis doesn't step out of line."

"Like you said, once he's in scales again, he won't care."

"Right. Well, aren't you going to pick out some special outfit for the big battle or something?"

"Oh, thank's for reminding me Mr. G."

"Any time Lotus. Any time."

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

"I have writers block." Kindra says biting on a chewed up pencil. She's had writers block for three days now, that was when she found out she was valedictorian. "Did you finish your 'Who am I?' essay for langauge?"

"Some of it." I say turning around in her swivel chair. "You?"

"Yep." She says flopping backward onto her bed. "All done. I've had it done for about a month."

"You're good Kindra Briar." I say smiling. She sits up and looks at me.

"I know that Mr. Arachnoid." Kindra says. She pauses for a moment then falls on her back again. "We're graduating in two weeks."

"May 30th." I say slowly.

"This is going to sound so cheesy, but I can't believe it's almost over." She says.

"What's almost over?" I ask wondering if she means high school or her time being a foster child.

"Hell." Kindra says. I laugh remembering that we promised to be hell-mates. "So, have you gotten any acceptance or rejection letters back?"

"Not a single one. I promise I'll call and tell you if I get one." I say. "Anything back from Julliard?"

"Nope." She says. I sit on the bed next to her. "What if you go to a college outside of New York?"

"I'm not gonna." I say. "Spider-Man has to stay in the city that never sleeps."

"But still, what if this," Kindra says. "Doesn't work out. It's going to be sort of long distance."

"We'll make it work." I promise. I hear a noise coming from my backpack, it's the gadget that I made last year to pick up police radio waves. Car theif. "I need to leave." I say grabbing my backpack.

"Just come in the front door, Bernard is gonna be back soon." Kindra says. Like a gentleman, I grab her hand and kiss the sleeve.

"I'll be back soon." I tell her. I head out.

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

Peter leaves, I get bored. I find my way downstairs and flick on our massive flat screen. I see it. In big, all capitol letters, 'IS SPIDER-MAN LETTING LOTUS GO?' Interested in something involing my boyfriend, I turn up the volume. A blonde reporter at a news desk begins speaking in a serious voice.

"Now we have a report that you might not believe. The villianess Lotus, a sidekick to Green Goblin made her first appearence robbing a museum in late October. Now with the release of survalince camera videos, from an annymous new yorker, police are led to believe that the hero Spider-Man has been letting her go unharmed... In return for her seducing him."

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

_Knock knock._ No answer. _Knock knock._ Still no answer. _Knock knock._ I turn the doorknob to find it unlocked. I slowly open the door and glance around. I see Kindra in the living room with her knees tucked under her chest on the sofa.

"Hi, I'm back." I say. I glance at the TV to see the headline 'LOTUS AND SPIDER-MAN? WHY HE HASN'T CAUGHT HER' "Oh crap." I mumble. Kindra shuts the TV off and stands up. For a few moments she looks around, as if trying to figure out where she is. She holds a sleeve clenched hand to her mouth, her eyes begin to water.

"Was it a dare?" She asks finally. "Was it a dare?" Kindra asks louder and slowly this time. "Did, someone d-d-dare you to ask-ask me out?" I remain silent, she stares at me harder. "When you have to move from house to house, you aren't allowed to take interest in fashion and new trends Peter. You can't buy contacts and you-you can't really wear makeup. So you w-w-w-wear cl-cl-clothing that, that, that makes you blend in. Baggy clothes so they fit for a long time. You wear black so people don't notice you. But then it backfires because everyone sees you. And then g-guys, guys don't even look at you. There's still one more secret that I haven't told you Peter. But you're smart. S-s-so let's see if you can figure it out. I wear glasses, I'm not a girlie girl, I don't wear makeup, I don't wear 'in style' clothing, and guys don't talk to me. What do you think people assumed I was, and then teased me about it?" Tears run down her face leaving trails that show up in the light.

"I don't know." I lie.

"No, you know. You're smart Peter." She shouts. "What did they call me?"

"A, they called you, they thought that you were a-"

"Lesbian." Kindra says. "They thought I was a lesbian. I have no problem with lesbians, I am a gay rights supporter. But when people call you something you're not, and they think it's a bad thing... I'm not going to go there. So, for a guy like you Peter, for a guy like you to be... Atractted to me, is like... you don't even know. You're hot and, I _thought_ you were nice-"

"Please, just listen to me." I begin.

"No." Kindra snaps. "God dammit, you listen to me!" She screams. Kindra pauses for a really long time. She speaks again, in a loud whisper. "I really was just your Gwen rebound." _Ouch, that one hurt._ "You were just waiting for something better to come along." She clicks the TV back on in time for a video of me pressing Lotus against a marble wall with her tongue, no doubt, down my throat. Kindra motions towards the TV. "There. Something better has come along."

"Kindra," I begin. She crosses her arms and looks out the window. "Naveen-"

"I hate you Peter Parker." Kindra says still staring outside. "I. Hate. You." She repeats it slowly with each word carfully selected and aimed at my heart. "Get out of my house. Get out of my life. I don't want to talk to you ever again. I hope you and Lotus are happy together. I hate you."

"Okay." I say hoarsely. I can feel my throat swelling up. "Okay." I repeat in a whisper. She doesn't even see me walk out the door.

I walk home rather than my _other_ way of transportation. Jumping around New York usually clears my head, but right now I just want to be alone. It's like Uncle Ben's death. It's like Captian Stacy's death. It's like Gwen's death. I know how Kindra felt when her father died now. _'You think that everything is going to be okay, and then something happens to knock you off your feet. And, it-it hurts. It hurts Peter.'_ This has knocked me off my feet. Now I know why she's this way. Why see buys black clothing to hide and numb herself. Why she plays piano and speaks in musical terms. Why she listens to A Fine Frenzy, or Coldplay, or Foo Fighters with the volume so loud you can taste the music on your tongue. Why she would always be so scared of me, like I would push her away.

"Peter, you're home." Aunt May says when I come through the door. I drop my backpack on the floor and lean into the back wall, tilting my head back with my eyes closed. "Peter, is something wrong?" I exhale deeply.

"Nah." I lie.

"Peter Benajamin Parker, I know when something's wrong." She presses. "Now what is it?"

"It's nothing Aunt May, you worry too much." I say.

"It's the girl, isn't it?" She asks. "The pretty one, Naveen, Kindra. What happened?"

"We, got in a fight." I say opening my eyes. "What should I do?"

"I'd try something that she's not expecting." Aunt May says. "Apologize Peter. Your Uncle Ben and I raised you to be a gentleman. Do something classy." She smiles. "Poetry, find something on that internet you teens are always on." I smile at her. "See, there's that smile. Now go on." I clomp up the stairs and stop at the top.

"Aunt May?" I ask.

"Yes?"

"Thanks."

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

I couldn't have gotten this car at a better time. I'm speeding down a vacant highway sobbing and alternating between steering and wiping my eyes and nose. A Fine Frenzy blasts on the radio, my poor attempt to drown out the sound of me crying. I don't want to get pulled over. I don't want Dad to come after me. I don't want to go to school tomorrow. I just want to be alone. _So this is what a broken heart feels like. It's worse than a hangover._ By now Bernard will have told them where I went. Where I'm headed. My four hour drive is almost over. Maybe Dad will kill me. I'll just pull the move-out card. My OSCORP paychecks are very nice. Oh God, he could fire me. He _is_ my boss. Shit, I should turn around right now, but I'm almost there... I pull off the highway and into D.C. _God, I can't believe I'm doing this._ I pay for two dozen red roses. _I hate cliche crap like this._ I drive my car into the parking lot and I open the door.

"Fuck." I say pricking my finger on a thorn. _Naveen Briar: Beautiful Thorn. Yeah right, like a thorn could be beautiful._ I know where they are. I find Mom and Dad's graves side by side. I place one bouquet of twelve roses on each stone. "Hey guys." I mumble fiddling with my hands. I zip up my sweatshirt and tug on my sleeves. I'm going to freeze to death out here, either that or I'll get a zillion bug bites. I'm still wearing my cottony peach dress. "Look, we all know I suck at speeches and that I hate cliche stuff like talking to your parents tombstones when you have your first breakup... And since you're in heaven and all, you can probably read my mind anyways so I'll just shut up before I do something stupid, like cuss in front of you two." I smooth out the grass and kick off my cork heels. I slowly remove my glasses and pull up my hood, laying down ontop of the grass. Six feet under me they are slowly decaying and rotting. It's an awful thought to think about, but it's true. I curl up into a ball and close my eyes. I don't even have my iPod. Just my sweatshirt and the keys to my car inside the pocket. No sleeptime playlist to put on shuffle. Just the cold ground, the slow shattering what used to be my heart, and my parents decomposing bodies beneath me.

Somehow, I make it through the night. I wake up at dawn. We watch the sun come up. It's a sort of messed up and twisted way of my family watching the sunrise, but it's happening. I think of what my personal quote _really_ is, 'We're all messed up.' I get up and pick up my shoes in one hand. I push up my glasses. Not a single bug bite.

"Well, that was a fun slumber party," I say to the roses on the grass. "But I need to go back to my nightmare of a reality. Don't worry guys, I'll be back soon." I find my way back to the car. I think of my fall of events and my options. Peter has chosen Lotus. I am going to graduate soon. I will be working at OSCORP with tons of other older, _hotter_ scientists. Okay, they're good looking, but none of them are _hotter_ than Peter. But I can move on. I only have two weeks left. Then I leave hell and Peter Parker behind me. Two weeks of ignoring him. I can do that. Hey look a deer. Deer? Wait, what the f-

Dad is going to kill me. I've had this car for barely a few days and I've already wrecked it. I'm upside-down. I wince at the pain, my legs are stuck under the dashboard. The windsheild is gone and there's broken glass everywhere. Not to mention the pain in my side... What am I going to do? Maybe I can stay out here and Dad will send a search party. Or someone will spot me on this dead highway. Or I could hitch hike. What's that noise? I can hear something ontop of my car. A pair of upside-down yellow eyes on a green mask come into veiw and I scream.

**...**

**I couldn't help myself. I tried my hardest to speel out that Green Goblin has Kindra now. Like I said: action. The next chapter will be the climax, I promise. Or at least the first part of it. I think I got Aunt May's personality perfect if I do say so myself. I have also decided something else... You will have to read until the end of the story to find out what it is. TEE HEE!**


	21. Chapter 21

**We're at the peak of the story! Cliff hangers and fights! I'm sorree if what's going on in the fights are unclear, it's hard to write fights! For me anyways. Okay then, I hope that you enjoy this next chapter. LOTUS IS BACK. Remember what I said earlier; stick around to the end and you get an important piece of news.**

Chapter 21- Taken

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

When is he coming back? What is he going to do to me? Why am I so messed up? Did Peter know? Does Harry know? Where's Lotus? Why did they bring me here? Don't they know that Peter and I broke up? Are Green Goblin and Lotus the 'annynomous New Yorker' that sent in the video? Do they think that Peter will still fight to save me? I'm caught in a web of lies, I don't know what or who to believe. Green Goblin, maskless, comes back in the room. It's weird to see my ex-father in a green suit, preparing to torture me.

"Aww, don't be upset with me Naveen." He says. "I couldn't use Harry, and if it wasn't you it was a different mental foster child."

"What are you talking about?" I ask. We're at OSCORP, I'm strapped down to stretcher, Green Goblin holds a syringe of gray colored liquid. I don't quite piece everything together until he preps my arm.

"Go on, say it." Green Goblin urges.

"I-I-I-I-'m L-L-Lot-Lotus." I stutter.

"Louder!" Green Goblin shouts.

"I'm Lotus!" I shout. God, I'm crying again. "So, is that my lotus serum?"

"No, this is something better. Your lotus serum is in our fridge." He says. "You see, the plan has been mapped out since the night Gwen Stacy died. I escaped, but just narrowly. After I saw how vunerable Peter was, I knew that I had to play the next card. And it would be a girl to throw him off.

"I decided that I would take in a foster child, someone Peter could relate to. You were just so _perfect_. I needed someone who was just plain _pathetic_. Someone... like you." Norman says. "Parker sees something in those types. _Your_ type. Knowing that he'd help out a fellow orphan, I took you in. I paid Social Services a fair amount of money to keep what I was going to do to you hush, hush. Origanally I was just going to kill you in front of him, but _Naveen_, you are so smart that you came to work here. From the moment you began talking about physics... I knew you'd be the child I wouldn't regret having. As soon as I put you to work with Curtis, the new plan began to piece together. I would use a new serum and magnetic feilds to hypnotize you into, well, you've seen what you did to Peter as Lotus. You're a _dirty_ little girl Naveen. He couldn't find out it was you, so then I used the Lizard chemical to change your appearence. Then I had another 'aha' moment. I could use Curtis as well. So now, after this we'll go down to the sewers into his old office. We'll makes some noise and get Spider-Man down there."

"So, are you going to make me kill him?" I ask in a shaky voice.

"Even better, this new injection will literally suck Lotus out of you. She will become her own person. And now she can use her magnetic feilds the way I used them. She's going to kill you. Then we'll come to OSCORP and put the city under the Lizard chemical, the way Curtis almost did last year. The city will then be ruled under Lotus and I." He says.

"So, you- and Lotus, are... like-" I stutter. "That's sick. You are just plain wrong." Green Goblin smirks.

"Thank-you." He holds the needle next to my arm. "Hold still." He insterts the needle and I begin to scream.

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

"I can't believe this, can you?" Aunt May asks me. I sit, staring into my bowl of soggy corn flakes. Another day of the Lotus/Spider-Man scandal. They're calling it Spitus, Splotus, Loider. Like we're a Hollywood couple or something.

"Nah." I say. "I think that this'll all blow over soon."

"I hope so." Aunt May says. "It just doesn't seem like something he would do. It's just dirty."

"Okay," I say getting up, sick of hearing about it. "I'm gonna go now." I kiss her on the cheeck and head out the door. At school it's all anyone can talk about.

"Hey Kimberly," Flash calls. "Did you hear about Spider-Man and that one hot flower chick?"

"I don't blame her, he's freakin' _ripped_." Kimberly says back. "Hey Peter." She says smiling, _flirting?_ Does anyone know about the break-up? Who can tell in all the Splotus gossip anyways?

"Alright people, get to class, get to class." Vice-Princepal Morgan says shooing us away. _He needs to loose that toupee..._ I make it to science class. I freak out when Kindra's seat is empty. _Idiot. She's at OSCORP, just like she has been since October._

"Okay, today in class we will be breaking down to the small detials of... Magnetic feilds." Mrs. Kyler says writing it across the board. Great, now I'm think of how Lotus is under hypnosis with magnetic feilds, that makes me think of the scandal and how I'm the bad guy. And THAT makes me think of Kindra. Blue green eyes with a ring of hazel, tears pouring out of them. _'I hate you Peter Parker.' _Another teacher comes into the room.

"Mr. Smith, what is going on-" Mrs. Kyler begins.

"Turn on the news!" He shouts. "I was watching the morning news with my students, Green Goblin has kidnapped someone from our school!" _No way, it can't be. Please God, don't let it be her._ Mrs. Kyler pulls out one those really old classroom TVs and fumbles with the remote. A live newscast comes on the screen with a reporter, police cars in the background, surrounded around a manhole. _No._

"...The police are trying to get in. Most of them have either been killed or taken hostage. Beneath the streets in his old office, Dr. Curtis Connors who was recently taken out of rehab is back as a lizard. He appears to be working with Lotus and Green Goblin." He says. He seems to be listening to his earpiece then nods. "It has been confirmed; Green Goblin is Norman Osborn, founder of OSCORP. A police officer saw him maskless. The hostage has still not been identified. However, authorities have reported a Midtown ID card, the name and photo were scratched off. We go back to you in the stuido, Jessica."

"Thank-you Tom." Says the female reporter. "Of course, the number one question on everyones' minds is 'Where is Spider-Man?' " It cuts to footage of Lotus seducing me for the first time, a few guys in back hollar and Mrs. Kyler attempts to cover the screen. "Last night footage of Lotus and Spider-Man was release, police believe that in return for her company New York's friend Spider-Man has allowed her to escape. So where is he? Hiding from embarassment, or letting Lotus go?"

"Jessica, we have just recieved information on the hostage in the sewer system." Says the male reporter. "Norman Osborn's foster daughter, Naveen Briar, has been confirmed as the hostage. We are unaware of why he would take her or anything else about her. We do know that Naveen attends Midtown Science High School. She works at OSCORP is is known for developing the lotus flower serum that could be an all-around cure for diseases. She has also been labeled as 'mentally unstable'. We will continue to give you live footage, after the break." Everyone turns to look at me.

"Mrs. Kyler, could I go to the bathroom please?" I ask. "I think I'm going to be sick."

"Go." She says too busy talking to Mr. Smith. I bolt out of the room. I'm going to clear my name.

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

I try to wiggle free, but it's no use. The chain suspending me from the ceiling of the sewer will never release. The handcuffs press into my swollen pink and purple scars. Sweat runs down my face, it needs to stay warm in here so Lotus can stay alive. She's like a real flower now that she's out of me. Dressed in a scantily clad white leather bikini with purple trim, I can see why Peter is attracted to her. She wears a cape of purple silk, her hair pulled back in a slick bleach blonde ponytail, thigh high white leather boots, and a jeweled purple mask. She paces back and forth in front of me. Lotus pauses and looks me up and down.

"Ugh, I can't believe I was _inside_ you." She scoffs.

"Right back at you hooker." I growl. Lotus leans in towards my face.

"Your boyfriend better get here soon." She says. "I'm getting sick of you. Goblin, can't we just kill her now?"

"We'll wait a few more minutes." He says. "Don't worry your pretty little head about it. Curtis is almost done overriding the system. We'll be able to broadcast all over Times Square. Where ever he is, he'll see it."

"Fine." Lotus spits. I point my toes towards the ground, they almost touch the floor. Dr. Connors comes over.

"It's done." He says in a tired voice. He looks, almost- sad. Lotus jumps up and down clapping her hands like some preppy school girl.

"Watch her." Green Goblin orders Dr. Connors. Lotus follows around a cement corner. I look down at Dr. Connors.

"They're going to kill me." I whisper. He sighs.

"I never wanted this. I wanted a world without outcasts. I wanted people like you, Peter, even me as a child... I wanted a place where we could fit in. This, this is madness." Dr. Connors says. "I'm sorry it had to end like this Naveen. For the record, I like you better than I liked Peter. Even if he did stop me from becoming a crazy lunatic running a city of reptiles."

"Thank-you Dr. Connors." I say. I can't even smile. But he does. "What?"

"You still don't know..." He says. Lotus comes back in with Green Goblin. In one gloved hand she holds a video camera.

"We're ready. You can go green now." She says. Dr. Connors looks back at me before disappearing behind the corner. I hear a few noises and he's gone, replaced by a mutant lizard. I can still find his eyes though.

"Go." Green Goblin says to Lotus who turns on the video camera.

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

_I have to get to her. I have to get there in time._

"Hello New York City. This is Lotus speaking. Most of you know me as Spider-Man's girlfriend, but I'd like to introduce you to someone. Naveen, say hello."

_It won't be like Gwen. I can save her this time._

"H-h-hi."

_Hold on Kindra, I'm coming._

"Naveen, tell us why you're here." Lotus says.

"B-b-b-because... Be-because- Because I'm weak." Kindra stammers.

"Right, humans are weak. We will take over. In our world you don't need to be an outcast." Lotus shouts. She grabs Kindra's jaw holding a knife to her neck. "Like her. By the way, Spidey, I'm waiting for you. I miss your... company."

_I have to save her._

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

"It's been five minutes. Can we get this done with?" Lotus moans. Green Goblin glances around.

"Sure. I guess he's not coming." He says. "Nobody cares about you after all Naveen. No mother, no father, no brother, no boyfriend, no hero. Just you, a pathetic weak human." I hold back tears and begin hyperventilating. I can't breathe. _Bullet hits flesh, flesh hits blood, blood hits snow. He wasn't dead. He just didn't want to come and find you. Blade goes through skin, blood washes down the sink. Being thrown onto a fire escape. I'm closer to them. I'll be with them soon._

"Ready?" Lotus asks holding the camera. Green Goblin sets up his flyer a good hundred feet away from me. He trots until he comes behind me. Checks to make sure it'll hit me. He presses a button on his sleeve and a wicked blade comes out of the side of the flyer, pointed at me. The red light on Lotus' camer turns on. She holds it at her face, me behind her. "Welcome back America. That's right, we're all over the U.S.A. now. We hope you enjoy this broadcast. We are going to show you, just how weak humans are. The flyer is lined up with Naveen. It will pick up speed and, well, you see the blade. I hope you enjoy." Lotus points to camera at me. As my one last hope and look up at the chain holding me. I wiggle my wrists, nothing happens. _Please if there is any justice in this cruel, cruel world._ I look at the flyer, lighting up, begining to start. For extra drama no doubt. I glance at my wrists again, back and forth. The flyer spins in a circle.

"Come on." I whisper. "Come on! Please!" I shout. My voice echoes off the walls. "Please!" The flyer begins to move forward, slow at first, then faster. I begin screaming and shaking the chains. It comes forward to my stomach.

Bam.

Something knocks me to the ground. It's Dr. Connors. Half scaly, half human. He looks at me terrified. He picks the lock on my handcuffs with a claw. _What's happening?_

"Go." He says. "Go! Run Naveen, run!" Confused, I get up. I see Lotus standing over Green Goblin with the flyer in his gut, sobbing. "Run!" Dr. Connors shouts. I take a few steps, then begin to bolt. I've never been athletic, but I've run from things before, illiosions and people. I go through tunnel after tunnel. Hypnotized police officers on my tracks. I go down one tunnel and look around before going left. I can hear them, I press myself against a wall. I slowly step to the left and fall over an edge. Down, down down the rabbit hole I go. Actually I only fall about two inches. I fall into sewer water, and pull myself out. I trudge until I get back on the metal floor. I take a moment to rest.

"Kindra. Kindra, I'm over here." _Oh God the voices are starting again._ I look around.

Holyfuckit'sPeter.

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

It's a tiny hole, only about a foot in diameter. Even if I could get the bars off there's no way I could get through, or she could get through.

"Peter," Kindra gasps. "I'm so scared, please get me out of here."

"I'm going to try, but where are you, where are they taking you?" I ask grabing her hand through the bars. She's all wet, and her glasses are off. If this weren't a bad situation I might take time to admire her, Kindra looks almost like she did that first time I saw her in the rain.

"Green Goblin is dead." She says.

"What?"

"He's dead Peter. They were going to kill me and Dr. Connors knocked me out the the way and the flyer hit him and OhmyGod he's dead now, he just died rightinfrontofme and-"

"Where are they taking you?" I shout shaking her shoulders.

"OSCORP. They're going to use the Lizard chem-"

"Okay." I say cutting her off.

"Over here!" Someone shouts.

"Please Peter, I'm scared. Lotus hypnotized a bunch of police officers and they're like an army or something." Kindra says. I hold her hand tight and slowly say the words that I know I'll regret.

"Kindra, I'm going to get a head start to OSOCORP. I'll meet you there." I say. I swear, her pupils shrink.

"No. Please Peter, don't do that." Kindra begs. "What if they kill me?"

"They won't. If they kill you then I won't come." I tell her. They're getting closer.

"Please Peter, don't leave me!" She screams. "They were going to kill me before, why not now? I'm scared Peter, I'm scared!" She begins crying and gripping my hand. "I've never been this scared before, I'm going to die this time!" _This time. She's going to die this time._

"No." I say. "I'll see you there." I slowly let go of her hand. I begin walking away and I reach to pull my mask back on when I hear her again. "_No! No! Please!_" Kindra is screaming loud and hard, kicking and crying. She was right about the hpynotized police officers because one is holding her back, slung over his should she reaches out for the window. Trying to reach me. She keeps screaming and fighting, Lotus comes into veiw, hands propped on her hips, eyes puffy. I guess Lotus is human. The officer with Kindra pulls out a syringe, the liquid is pure black. Kindra sreams my name one last time before the police officer stabs the needle into her hip and presses down. Her eyelids get heavy and Kindra goes limp as a rag doll.

"C'mon." Louts orders them. "Take _it_ with us to OSCORP. We can broadcast it all over there." She leans in front of Kindra's face. "Nobody loves you after all." _They haven't seen me. They haven't seen me yet._ I pull the mask on and run. I don't stop running until I get to the surface. Then I reach out my wrist and begin my trip to OSCORP. I have to clear my name. I have to kill Lotus.

**...**

**Oh snap, Peter's gonna get revenge. I'm so happy Dr. Connors got to be the good guy, I was so mad when he got crazy in the movie and comics. I'm driving my family crazy by correcting them on comic book crap! Read the next chapter. The story will be ending within a few. Then there's gonna be an epilouge. I just wanna give credit to Chile Hadwing, who figured out Kindra was Lotus! I give out all the other thanks at the end of the fic with my big speech. Keep reading and thank you for following this story!**


	22. Chapter 22

**And we're back! Just want to say YAY cuz I just hit 100 reveiws. I'm the type of person who squeals at 1-3 reveiws so you can imagine my joy. Like I said earlier, I suck at writing fights. I also suck at writing what's going through KIndra's head when she goes all wonky. Now then, a whole bunch of people were mad that Kindra was Lotus and said that I lied. (via PM and comments) But TECHNICALLY I didn't. I said that they were two diffferent people. See? This is what I wrote in my A/N for Chapter 12,**

**"Lotus is an O.C. Her and Kindra are two different people. YOU WILL UNDERSTAND LATER YOUNG KUMQUATS!" **

**Guess what? IT IS LATER YOUNG KUMQUATS! NOW YOU UNDERSTAND! So now we get back to the story because Kindra is a floppy rag doll and Peter's pissed and Lotus just lost her master. (I made Green Goblin such a creep!) Such a dramatic turn of events!**

Chapter 22- 

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

The rooftop. Of course. Lotus wants it to be dramatic. She wants everyone to see it. She wants to be the center of attention. I wonder if that was part of her decision to release the videos of- _us_. When I get there Lotus even has a dramatic setup. She stands far off to the left, Dr. Connors is chained -in half human form- to the ladder that leads to the cloud genorating device, no doubt, with the Lizard chemical inside and ready to be launched. Kindra is handcuffed to one of the higher up rungs on the ladder. She dangles lifelessly head hung low, displayed like a martyr.

"I was wondering when you'd show up." Lotus says lowering her eyelids. I lunge for her throat but she dodges me easily. "Silly boy, did you really think you'd knock me down like that?" I go at her again, grabbing her wrist and flipping her over my shoulder. After making a dent in the floor she gets up and smirks. "You realize that in a way you're hurting her, right?" Lotus asks pointing at Kindra.

"What are you talking about?" I ask huffing.

"She is me." Lotus says slowly. "I am her. I didn't know it either, not until last week. It's just one more thing that Green Goblin and I came up with to throw you off." I'm trying to piece things together. "We extracted me from her and placed my DNA into a lotus flower. That's how I'm here."

"I don't believe you." I lie. "That's not the truth."

"You want the truth Peter?" Lotus asks cocking her head and coming in, just inches away from my face. "Come and get it." I'm taken back a little bit with her quoting what Dr. Connors said to me when he was an enemy. She must know this because the look on my face makes her lips curl and forked tongue slither out. Dr. Connors isn't still my enemy. He tried to save Kindra after all. So are we on the same page now? I'm so into my thoughts I barely notice Lotus ontop of me. "I want you." She whispers exhaling into my face. Instead of giving in I push her off and jump out of the way taking deep breaths.

"I know what you're trying to do." I say. "You're going to breathe in my face so I forget everything and become addicted to you."

"I'm the lotus flower, what do you expect?" Lotus hisses. "That's what I do. I make you forget your life. I keep you happy, I make you only remember to stay and be happy. Just like the Greek myth. _That's_ where I got my name from." I shoot a web at her and she keeps dodging them. "Just give up."

"Never." I hiss. I glance at Dr. Connors chained up. "How much until all of New York becomes lizards?"

"Ten minutes." Lotus says. She throws a knife at me and I slide out of the way. Lotus runs over and tries tackling me. I jum way over her head and she slides out of the way. Lotus hisses. _I just pissed off plant girl._ I can't help but smile. I shoot a few webs to hold in place for a few moments. I run to Dr. Connors and pull him free.

"Go. Shut it down." I order him. He glances at Kindra above us. "She told me what you did. Thank you."

"Peter-" He begins.

"No time." I say. "We're even." Dr. Connors nods and begins climbing up. He still has one human arm and one lizard arm. I hope we have enough time. Lotus knocks me down and pins me to the floor.

"I'm still here Spider-Man." She hisses. I push her off and roll until I'm ontop of her.

"So am I." I say through gritted teeth.

"You're getting better at this." Lotus says smirking. I glance at Dr. Connors halfway up the ladder, he stops to try and get around Kindra. "If you kill me we both die. Me and your girlfriend." _Why are there so many surprises that, when you think about it, aren't all that surprising?!_

"How?" I ask.

"There's still some of my blood in her. She's not dead right now, just knocked out." Lotus explains. "If I die my blood inside of her will turn to poision. She won't live long, and what she will live will be painful."

"Then I'll put you in prison." I say. Lotus smirks.

"Do you really think they can keep _me_ locked up? I'll just go into rehab and then come to kill you."

"What if something happens to Kindra?" I ask. "Then something would happen to you right?"

"Yes. Aren't you a smart one?" Lotus retorts. "But you're not going to hurt her. And she's not going to commit suicide. She failed that twice. Naveen is just too, what's the word I'm looking for...? _Weak_. Feeble, delicate, limp, flimsy, faint, infirm. However you say it, she's weak. It's survival of the fittest Peter."

"Then don't I qualify?" I press.

"Yes, physically, yes. The spider in you is strong. Your mind makes you strong." Lotus says. "But it's your actions that make you weak. Your future is bright, but you have a lost past Peter. Your search to find the truth is what makes you vunerable. I have no weaknesses. I am not human. Humans are weak. You cannot kill me without killing someone you love. Just try Peter. Just try to kill me."

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

_Naveen, I'm going to lose my other arm soon. You have to go. Go!_

He shook me awake and gave me orders as soon as I opened my eyes. No time to wonder what was happening or where I was, just my last order. So now I'm climbing up the ladder to the top to shut _it_ down. Beneath me Peter and Lotus are either fighting or making out. It's hard to tell all the way up here. My life depends on this. Peter's life depends on this. Harry's life depends on this. So I keep climbing. I'm so tired, my breathing is getting slower and heavier. I keep going on. How much blood did I lose when _he _sucked Lotus out of me? I keep going on. I hear Lotus scream below me. Suddenly a horrible pain rips through me and I almost fall. It's so bad that I scream too. But I keep going. The ladder ends. I keep my balance and try to open the glass door. But my hands are so slick with sweat it's hopeless. I smash my fist into the glass door. The glass cracks and I press both of my hands into the door as hard as possible and the glass shatters. Beneath me Lotus screams again. I look at my bloody hands and try to think for a moment. The two of us are connected. Somehow, some way. If she's still in me, maybe I can drain the last of her out. She's in my bloodstream though. I can only kill Lotus if I loose enough of her blood. I'm brought back to reality when I hear Peter scream beneath me. It ices my blood because his scream is so full of pain and fear that it brings back mixed emotions of hate, sadness, pity, jealousy, and lust. I might as well admit that's in there too. I look at the glowing green tube in front of me with a countdown clock above it and shards of borken glass. Everything is orange and yellow because of the sunset and it makes things hard to see. I see the color orange I can only think of the rust on the fire escape and my hopeless wandering through the streets. Everything was topsy turvy and I kept trying to speak but all I could think of was my blood sloshing down the drain and the sting of the water from the tab hitting my cut flesh. Then I look at the green tube again and slowly remove it. I hold it up to the sun, entranced by the different shades of yellow and blue and emerald you can see when light passes through it. Then it slips through my fingers, glossy with blood and sweat. The whole world seems to move in slow motion. Frame by frame clicking away until the glass breaks and the green liquid is a gold puddle on the floor, color changed by the sun. Lotus lets out a scream and keeps screaming loud and long as I slowly make my way down the ladder. The sun starts setting and I can find the stars, each one peeking out as night crawls in, their light shining brightly. Each one being kissed with light from the sun. I make my way to the bottom and gently come to the floor. I'm hearing things as if underwater. Half awake, half asleep. Just like when I was in the straight jacket. My eyelids threaten to close I blink for a long time. When I open my eyes again I can only hear my breaths. Quiet spaced exhales as Lotus knocks Dr. Connors to the ground. She reaches out choking Peter around the neck, dangling his head over the side of the tower. She's screaming at him, cussing at him. I glance at the Lotus flower she wore in her hair, now on the floor just a few feet from me. I walk over to it, cocking my head from side to side looking at all the angles. Lotus removes Peter's mask and traces his jaw line with one of her knives. A memory of me doing the same thing with my hands flashes in my mind. Only the world wasn't orange. It was gray and green and silver and black and brown.

And red and blue.

I crush the flower under my feet, stomping out the petals and I look up to see Lotus jerk around on the ground. It's freaking and awlful to look at- but I know it must be the way I look when having an episode. No wonder nobody loves me. I look at Peter gasping for breath. He looks at me and shakes his head. He looks at my hand and shakes his head again. I look at the thick piece of glass in my hands cut at a dangerous angle. without even thinking I drive it into my left side. I can't even hear myself scream until I hear Lotus in unison with me. Then everything comes back. I'm hearing crystal clear as I twist the glass and blood pours out. Lotus begins to shrivel, literally shrivel up, her fingers like dried rose petals, her hair curling into dead vines. I close my eyes and keeps moving the glass inside of me. Then I pull it out. I hold it in my hand so tightly I'm loosing blood there now. Then I release it and fall to the floor. Lotus is dead. I'm still alive. I'm still alive. I'm still awake. They won't put me to sleep again.

If I can stay awake.

Then I can stay alive.

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

I don't even know if she can hear me.

"Kindra. Kindra." I say shaking the dead girl in my arms. "Kindra! Don't just sit there look at me! Say something!"

"Masks can hide you from the world but they don't hide you from yourself." She whispers. I'm happy that she's alive and able to speak so I pull her in close and tuck her head under my chin. Not a single tear, just watery eyes. "You can change your mask, you can take on as many names as you want, but you're still you."

"I'm going to get you to a hostpital." I say shooting out webs so she's tied to me. I can't let her slip through my fingers.

"Peter." She says looking into my eyes. "If I don't make it, tell Harry, that I'm sorry."

"Don't talk like that, you're going to live." I order her.

"I hate secrets." Kindra whispers. "I hate lies. I hate straight jackets."

"Shhhh." I say. "You'll be fine."

**...**

**DUN DUN DUN! Cliff hanger! Thank-you to GeishaXnoXHimitsu for the two quotes about masks and stuff. This was the climax. Time for falling of events. Everything is in downward motion from here. The story will be ending soon. I hope it wasn't too short. Hard to believe we're here. Remember to stick around to the end for that special announcment...**


	23. Chapter 23

**Someone asked me if Chapter 22 was supposed be nameless (you might have noticed that) and yes, yes it is. I COULDN'T PICK OUT A NAME SO I LEFT IT NAMELESS! I could've just called it Chapter 22- Nameless Chapter. Haha. Anyways things are really heating up so I'm gonna let you read now! Just to warn you Kindra's gone crazy so she swears quite a bit in this chapter. It's also kind of short. I'll try to get the next chapter up today.**

Chapter 23- Beyond Repair

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

"Students, as you are well aware, there was an incedent in the sewers and at OSCORP tower yesterday. Spider-Man proved us all wrong by going in and saving the day. However one our students, Naveen Briar, was not able to be saved in time. Her foster father Norman Osborn was driven by madness, a side effect to one of the performance enhancers created by OSCORP. He hypnotized her into becoming a villan. The only way for Naveen to destroy Lotus, was to drain enough of her infected blood. It was a large sacrifice for her to make." Princepal Whitney says. Lighted candles are passed out. "Everyone, please let there be a moment of silence for Naveen Briar." The room falls silent, someone pats me on the back. People close their eyes. Kimberly and her friends hold hands. I think a few people begin to cry.

"When she was just a girl, she expected the world, but it flew away from her reach, and she ran away in her sleep." I whisper. Kindra wouldn't want silence. She would want music. The people around me join in and soon the whole school is half singing half speaking the lyrics to Paradise by Coldplay.

"Thank-you students." Vice-Princepal Morgan says. "Naveen Briar is in and unstable condition and has lost a lot of blood. There was a genorous blood donor who donated two pints." I rub the bandage on arm. "Naveen sleeps and wakes very little. She isn't allowed to see anyone outside her family." _She only has Harry._ "Doctors are unsure whether or not she will live. All we can do is hope."

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

Ihatemyfuckinglife.

"So, will she ever speak again?" Harry asks the nurse.

"The event damaged her mentally. She might even have to go back to Greenwitch." _Nononono I am never going back to that hellhole. _

"She's not going back there." Harry says. _Thank God someone's finally on the same page as me._ "She'll just go even more crazy."

"Okay. But she'll need to keep seeing therapists. Speech therapists. Even if she does start speaking again it will most likely be that she'll have a stutter for the rest of her life." The nurse says.

"Okay." Harry says. "I'll talk to her." The nurse leaves and Harry opens the door and stares me down. "What?" He asks coming closer and sitting down. I keep looking at him "What?! Dammit Kindra, say something!" I shake my head. "Please, speak." Harry begs. I open my mouth to say something, _Bullet hits flesh, flesh hits blood, blood hits floor. The world was orange. The world was silver and brown and red and green and blue and black and gray. He said he'd come back for me. He said he cared about me. He doesn't. Trust no one._ I shake my head again. Harry grabs both of my hands holding them in his. I want to talk, I want to tell him that I'm sorry. That the Green Goblin who died, the Green Goblin who tried to kill me wasn't his father. Wasn't my father either. Wasn't Norman Osborn. I want to speak I want to talk. I want to go to school and I want to be normal. I want to have a normal life and I want to have normal thoughts. I want to have a normal boyfriend. I want to be normal. I reach out and hug Harry because it's the only way for me to tell him that I'm here. Then Harry leaves because visting hours are over. I have to sit alone in a room in the dark by myself. I get out of bed and use my IV as a scooter sliding over to the window. I open it up as far as it can go and I scream for as long as possible. I scream and scream and scream. Then I cry. I cry for hours and hours and hours. Then I scream again. Then I look at the mirror on the wall.

Ihatemyfuckinglife.

I punch the mirror and my hands are cut all over again. I hear voices in my head and I see images flashing and I just want it to stop so I scream again. I fall onto my knees and press my hands into my ears and I cry and I scream.

"Stop." I look up to see a sexy man in a red and blue skintight suit outside of my window. He doesn't take off his mask. I hate him. I hate me. Ihatemyfuckinglife. He won't take off his mask because then he won't be able to look away from me. He knows that. Nobody can look me in the eye anymore. Because then they can't look away. I stare him down. I stare him down because I'm the one who did this to me. Because I'm the one who was weak enough to believe that someone like him could like me. _Love me._ Love. What a fucking messed up word. So fucked up and stupid. Love is just something that James Bond made up so he could fuck girls up. Ihatemyfuckinglife. "I'm sorry." He says. I release the broken mirror shards in my hands. I stare him down. "I'm _sorry_."

* * *

...PETER PARKER ...

* * *

God knows what they've done to her. She looks like hell and her eyes have a crazy look in them. Her eyes are glassy and I know that she hates me. She's gone. Broken beyond repair. And I can't do anything. It hurts. Even more than Gwen.

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

They put me in a straight jacket. I hate straight jackets. If I had my way all straight jackets in the world would be burned. And then the ashes would be shoved up the ass of whoever inveted them. I hate straight jackets. They placed me in a cold room all by myself to see my state. So I gave them nothing. I sat cross legged in the center of the room, stared at the floor with my eyes as wide as possible. They kept me there for awhile. Then I was sent back to my room. They don't get it. I'm not healthy. I have Peter blood in me, flowing and keeping me alive. But I can't live. I have no reason to live. The doctors can pump whatever shit into my arm they want. They can tell me I'm improving. Harry can keep visting me but nothing will help me. I am broken beyond repair.


	24. Chapter 24

**Hey. That last chapter was pretty heavy so I'm gonna try to lighten things up a bit. Sorry I didn't get it up yesterday. Here's Chapter 24.**

Chapter 24- Awake

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

I've always loved Thursdays. On Thursdays Science Club would have extra long meetings and we'd all bring snacks. Then we'd break down the science behind burps and why soda cans get all fizzy when you shake them up. Then we'd have competitons to see who could do them the best. I always won tallest soda spurt. Thursdays in Orlando with Emily meant shopping at a wig store with her. Emily has alopecia, which basically means she's allergic to her hair and she's bald. So she'd buy wigs in the coolest styles and colors and every day she tried to wear a different one. So lately I've been looking at my life in terms of Thursdays. Last week Thursday I had writers' block. I had Peter. I was normal. I had Peter. I could speak. I had Peter. I didn't hate myself. _I had Peter._ I had hours of telling him secrets and desires. Like how I think I should've been born in the 50s so I could have a greaser for a boyfriend. Or a beatnik. Or even that I would be one of the two myself. Or that I hate the color orange becuse it reminds me of rust. Or that I used to remember my parents being in love. Or that my mother could sing. Or that I dream in black and white with only certain things in color whereas my episodes and visions are all bright and blinding colors. Peter's breath on my neck, his fingertips raising goosebumps on my skin. His hard to pin personality. Lost somewhere between a funny smart guy and past obsessed orphan. Now on this Thursday, three days after THE WORST DAY POSSIBLE EVER IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE AND BEYOND- I'm all alone. I'm allowed to ride in a wheelchair. People from school can see me. I recieve ballons and flowers that will just deflate and die only to create a metaphor to myself. I'm just holding on until I die. Next week is May 30th. Next week I graduate. Next week is May 31st. Next week I get two letters in the mail. Acceptance or rejectance. Rejectance... Is that even a word? Reeeejeeectaaancccce. If not, then I just made it up. Drip drop. It's raining outside. I get up on my feet and into my wheelchair. I roll myself up to the rooftop. I might catch pnemonia. I don't really care. Thank God the nurses gave me a nightgown with a backside to it. I keep my glasses on. I step out of my wheelchair. I stumble at first, but then pick myself up and brush the gravel off my legs. I walk to the concrete edge and stay there. My glasses fog up. I close my eyes.

I am alone.

I am free.

I am awake.

I am alive.

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

She can't see me. I'm peeking out, hiding behind the air vent. She's just standing there. Not speaking. Not laughing. Not crying. Just standing. And she looks free.

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

I return to school on Monday. I'm speaking again. My stutter is worse than ever. But I'm speaking. I'm awake. I'm alive. I can feel the cold rain on my skin. I hate summer rain, all warm and yellow. The cold rain keeps me awake. Keeps me alive. If I can stay awake then I can stay alive. I've always told myself that. At school on Monday I tutor Flash for finals during study hall for the last time. I've been tutoring him for awhile, but it's nice to talk to someone besides Harry.

"Naveen!" Flash calls to me in the hallway. He holds up a math test with an A- on it. "Thanks!" I smile and nod. I'm starting to get warm. I'm layering a T-shirt over a long sleeved blue one. Flash glances at me when I tug on the sleeves. "Nice shirt." He says. I look down at the spider logo in black on it.

"The guy... s-s-sav-saved m-m-m-my- my life." I say shrugging. "He r-rock-rocks."

"Yeah." Flash says unzipping his leather jacket to show me the same shirt underneath. I laugh a bit and point to my Spider-Man hair clip. "You win." He says and I laugh again. "See in in language." Flash calls. I reach up my hand to wave good-bye but then pull it back down. I walk over to my locker to find the tongue twins all over it again.

"Um-" I begin. I try stuttering but fail at even that.

"Hey guys, get out of the way. Save it for summer." Peter says waving the couple off my locker. He glances at me for a moment so I open up my locker to block out his face. I pull out my textbook and spend a few extra moments with my head in my locker, hoping that Peter will walk away. But I look down and see his shoes knowing that he's still there. So I close my locker and look at him. Eye contact. I have to make eye contact with people now. I don't know why, but it bugs me when I don't. I shrug my shoulders at Peter, my way non-verbal way asking him why he's still here.

"Hey," He says. I push up my glasses. "That's a nice shirt you've got there." I look down again and tug on my sleeves.

"Thanks." I whisper barely audible.

"I heard you got the piano solo in the spring concert." Peter says. I nod. "I'm-"

"D-d-don't say s-s-sor-ry." I say. "I-I-I know you're s-s-sorry. But, I just d-d-don't think-think, that... I fit int-t-to your life Pe-Peter."

"Okay." He says. I nod my head and walk past him for langauge.

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

"Alright class, I'm going to pass back your 'Who Am I?' essays now." Mr. Osko says. I look back at Kindra who keeps her eyes straight forward. "This entire year I have been very impressed with the writing some of you have come out with. But there was one piece that caught my eye. Naveen wrote a spectacular 'Who Am I?' essay, but is using it for her valedictorian speech. You'll have to graduate to hear it."

"Naveen," Flash whispers. "I got an B+. Thanks for the help." She nods at him smiling. I look at the A+ on my paper.

"Good job Peter." Mr. Osko says. He hands a paper to Kindra. "I'm very please with the way you've opened up this year." He tells her. "Your five paragraph essay on comparing your life to a poem was lovely. Do you mind if I keep a copy for examples for my classes next year?" Kindra shakes her head. "Thank-you. Nice shirt." Mr. Osko goes on to hand out other paper and Kindra laughs a little bit. She glances at me and mouths,

"Thanks."

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

I step down the stairs slowly and loudly in my high heeled black converse and Harry gets off the couch to look at me.

"Hey there baby sister." He says. "Twirl for me." I spin the a circle. "When did you buy this?"

"Three years ago. Emily and I got bored and went shopping. I bought this dress but back then I was short and the size was too big for me. Fits like a glove now." I say. It's a strapless violet dress that's all sparkles on top and has a knee length skirt so fluffy that when I sit down the fabric comes up to my chin.

"Very sparkly." Harry says grabbing some of the tutu and rubbing the fabric between his fingers. "You didn't stutter there."

"Therapy is working. My goal was to not stutter for my speech." I say. I smooth out my hair, a side ponytail with corksrew curls and a sequin scrunchie. "You're going to be there, right?" I ask.

"Wouldn't miss it if my pants were on fire." Harry says making me laugh. "Dr. Connors is going to be there. I heard a rumor the other day, is it true?"

"If the rumor is that I asked him to be my Godfather, then yes. That rumor is true." I say. "My bio dad was cool and Norman was awesome, but Curtis is alive and said yes."

"He'd be there and he'd be proud." Harry says. "Dad, that's who I mean. Not Bernard. But speaking of him he's coming too." Harry grabs my arm and flops it like spaghetti noodle. "No sleeves?"

"No back either." I say turning and showing off the lash mark on my back.

"Tell me that this won't be some cheesy valedictorian speech talking about how high school is about 'finding yourself'." Harry says. I shake my head.

"Maybe a little cliche, but just barely. You know how much I hate cliche." I say. Harry hugs me again. I hug him back. "Don't want to be late."

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

Seeing so many of us in yellow and blue caps and gowns is pretty amazing. I take my seat and turn around to see Aunt May smile at me one last time. I give her a thumbs up and fix my cap. Princepal Whitney taps the microphone to get everyones' attention. She gives a quick speech about how she's seen us grow and blah, blah, blah and the progress of the blah, blah, blah and here's our valedictorian. Kindra step forward to the microphone.

"Thank-you Princepal Whitney." She says. Kindra takes a deep breath and begins. "Who Am I? That's a good question. But who are we really? When we're young, we think of our names. 'Who Am I? That's easy, I'm Naveen Briar.' By middle school we begin to classify ourselves. And we use that. 'Who Am I? I'm Naveen Briar, a science nerd.' " There's a small laugh in the crowd. "But when we get to high school, we really don't know. Some of us are thinking that we're too deep or too shallow. Others of us see ourselves as a Plain Jane, Joe Shmoe. We are classified by our actions, by other people, and by teachers.

"I've been to 12 high schools in my past four years. And in each one when I'm welcomed, or on the first day Princepals and teachers and almost any adult who works there says, 'high school is about finding yourself', 'high school will foreshadow your entire life', 'in high school you find out who you really are.' But, really? You only get _four years_ to figure out who you are? To me, finding yourself is something that takes up your whole life. Some of us _die_ without ever knowing who we really are. But high school isn't about that. It's a school, but more complicated. Your friends expect one thing, your parents expect another, you might want something different, and then you add hormones and teachers and all you get is one big mess. Because teachers expect your best, they tell you that on the first day. But teachers don't understand what you're going through. They don't know that if you don't go a to a party with your friend instead of do your homework then she's going to tell the whole school your deepest secret. They don't know that the only reason that you got a C- on your test is because your dad made you practice basketball until it was dark out and you got tired, so you couldn't focus. What's more complicated is that the only reason your dad made practice is because the coach keeps benching you _because_ of your bad grades." Kindra glances at Flash who gives her a thumbs up. "Teachers don't understand that you might be worried about anything but school. I used to see my life as school with social life as the backdrop, but that was never really the case. There was life and school was just a prop. And _everything_ was just a prop in life. There are other props too. Love, hate, family, politics..." The parents really crack up at that part. "And everything in life leaves a mark on you, a scar.

"So, 'Who Am I?' is just made up of life, and life has props, and props leave scars. Some emotional..." She trails off. _No way, she's not going to-_ "Some physical." Kindra lifts up the sleeves on her gown to show her scars. People gasp as if she's just announced World War III."Some of us grow up faster than others due to moments in life. Having no friends. Someone you love dying. Physical abuse from a parent..." You can feel everyone in the room take a few moments to realize that she's talking about herself. "But how does that relate to high school? Because it connects back to that question of 'Who Am I?' And I feel that while high school isn't where you find yourself or something to foreshadow the rest of your life, it does play an important role. 'Who Am I?' Well, after today, I will be a graduate of Midtown Science High School. And I think that's a good start." Kindra nods her head to us and Princepal Whitney shakes her hand. The rest of us applaud her. Kindra takes her seat and the people around her begin to whisper questions even though the music is starting already. Names are being called. Friends cheer for friends. Family cheer for family. It's nonstop clapping and video taping. Because of her last name Kindra goes fairly early.

"Naveen Briar." She walks up and smiles. I find Harry, Bernard, and Dr. Connors in the crowd who stand up and cheer for her. I see Aunt May stand up for her. Soon a whole crowd of people stand up and cheer. People who don't know her, but know that she's brave. I hear Flash call out,

"Go Naveen!" And she blushes walking off the stage. Other names are called and you can feel the good mood in the crowd. Everyone is crying or laughing or screaming or hugging.

"Peter Benjamin Parker." I stand up as a few people shout. I see Harry in the crowd let out a hoot and Dr. Connors gives me a thumbs up. Aunt May smiles and gets watery eyed. I hear Kindra scream my name too and she smiles at me. I walk off the stage and she practically tackles me. She's sobbing and laughing and hugging me so hard, I don't want her to let go.

"C-c-con-congrats P-Pet-Peter." Kindra says wiping away tears.

"So now you stutter? Not in front of all those people, but in front of me?" I joke. She laughs and sobs at the same time so it makes a sort of strange choking noise. She wipes her nose.

"OhmyGod, we're here and-"

"Hell is over." I cut her off. She smiles and nods again wrapping her arms around my neck again. "That was really brave, what you did up there." I whisper.

"Really?" Kindra asks. "I was terrified and I just did it and I just feel so free, I could just float away." She says releasing her arms. Something catches her eye and she runs past me. "Flash!" She hollars running up to him.

"Hey, I wouldn't be graduating if you didn't help me." He says hugging her. "Cool speech you made."

"Thanks, ohmyGod we just graduated!" Kindra screams.

"Okay, maybe it's a good thing you're working at OSCORP instead of college, what would you do after graduating from there?" I joke. She laughs again and begins crying so then I start crying too and we hug about a thousand times until the ceremony is over and we all throw our caps into the air. Then we hug all over again until Kindra runs to Harry and knocks him over. I smile watching her hug him and get excited and happy again.

"I'm so proud of you." Aunt May says coming up behind me and I give her a long hug. Everyone is crying now. I glance at Kindra again. Harry picks her up and spins her around so she begins screaming and smiling. Aunt May follows my stare. "You still like her, don't you?" She asks. I watch Kindra hug Dr. Connors and then Harry and then Bernard. Kindra looks up and waves at me.

"I guess you could call her the one that got away." I say.

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

"Harry!" I moan. "Just let Peter take the picture! No offence but you suck." I say. Harry tries to set up the camera tri-pod one last time, but then just gives the camera to Peter.

"One, two, three." Peter says. The camera flashes.

"Now one with your friends." Harry says. "That means you Parker." Peter switches places with Harry and holds my hand we take a bunch of pictures. Then because I didn't go to prom Harry makes Peter and I take off the graduation gowns and pose in his suit and my dress. Just for show during the flash of one picture I wrap my arms around Peter's neck and kiss him on the cheek. The result is Harry teasing me for the next two hours.

**...**

**Hi, this is an author's note you are reading! There are still some chapters to come. I plan on two more at least and an epilouge. I hope you've enjoyed the ride. Next chapter soon!**


	25. Chapter 25

**HIIIIIII! I'M BAAAAAAAAAAACK. REE REE REE REE! Jk, I wouldn't do that without an axe! haha. Anywho I'm starting to run out of stuff to put in my A/Ns so I'll just save it for my big speech at the end! This chapter is the shortest one I've ever written. But you might have already noticed that. P.S. Remember how I told you if you stuck around then there'd be an important piece of news at the end? It's going to be in the next chapter! Or this one...**

Chapter 25- Life Moves On

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

"KINDRA!" Harry calls sliding across the floor the next day. I look up from my copy of _The Grapes of Wrath_. "They're here." He says holding up two envelopes. My eyes widen.

"Are those-"

"Yes. One's from Julliard the other's from Columbia." Harry says cutting me off. I take one in my hand.

"I-I-I'm too n-n-ner-nervous." I say.

"Okay then, I'll open one and you open the other. Then we can read them at the same time." Harry says. "Rip off the band-aid."

"Okay." I say. Harry and I rip open the envelopes like wild beasts and keep the paper folded down. "On three, we read. One, two, three." I open up my letter and Harry does the same. I push up my glasses

" 'Dear Ms. Briar,' " We say at the same time. I glance up at Harry and nod to keep going. " 'We are pleased to inform you-' " I look up at Harry. He keeps reading.

" 'That you have been accepted into Julliard School of Music.' " He looks at me, then the letter. Me, the letter, me, letter, me. I look at mine and read.

" 'We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into Columbia University- OHMYGOD!" I scream. Harry throws the letter into the air and I do the same. I begin screaming and crying and jumping up and down. "I'M GOING TO COLLEGE!"

"WE'RE GOING TO DISNEYLAND!" Harry shouts which just makes me laugh. Then I start making those weird choking noises I make when I mix laughing and crying. I start screaming so long and loud and hard that my throat hurts. Harry is even louder. Everything I ever hoped or dreamed for is happening. I might have a shot at being normal.

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

I open my letter and read. _Dear Mr. Parker, We are delighted to inform you that yo have been accepted into New York University..._

"So?" Aunt May asks. I look at her and take off my glasses.

"I'm in." I say. "I got in. I'm going to college." She puts a hand over her mouth and begins crying. I hug her and begin crying too.

"Peter, your Uncle Ben and I always wanted you to have a good education-" Aunt May begins.

"I know." I say crying. "I know."

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

The last day of school comes and I'm crying and hugging the people who once ignored and feared me. Peter and I meet up and have an awkward good-bye. But it wouldn't work out. I'm at OSCORP, taking classes at Columbia to get a Doctor's degree. The headmaster thinks I can get it within a year. Peter's at NYU. And he's got prettier, clumsier girls to save. Things change. Life moves on. I'm not the same girl I was at the begining of the school year. I'm much more frail, but at the same time I'm stronger. I'm ready to find myself. I'm ready to find love. I'm ready to stay awake.


	26. Chapter 26

**Like I said earlier, there's something very important at the end of this chapter. DON'T SCROLL DOWN TO READ IT NOW OR YOU'LL RUIN THE SURPRISE! Thank-you to those of you who followed the rules. I know that there hasn't really been that much "Spider-Man" action, but I think Peter deserves a break. I also think some of you will like this chapter very much...**

Chapter 26- July

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

July. I've always loved July. I even love the name July. Juuuullllyyyy. July. JulyJulyJulyJuly. Halfway between summer. It's not as fresh as June, and not as frantic as August. Soon I'll be preparing for Columbia. Then then comes October, when Harry and I release the new face of OSCORP. Because of Dad's Will Harry gets the company, the money, and the house. The Will won't allow him to sell anything. So Harry is the President of OSCORP and I'm Vice-President. I heard that Peter will be the new photographer for The Daily Bugle starting in September. I haven't talked to him since the last day of school. I still have episodes, now he's in them too. It gets lonley with just Harry and I in the house. When he's not home it's just my screams to fill the rooms. Dad's presence hangs in the air. Worries and woes and nightmares fill my hours alone. Everyone at OSCORP is on a vacation until the release of the new face. I can't even drown my sorrows in test tubes and microscopes. So I walk through New York. I visit my parents' graves. I stay as far away from the kitchen sink as possible. Every day is different. Some days I'm musical Kindra. Other days I'm sad Kindra. But lately, I've just been Ihatemyfuckinglife Kindra. I refuse to take my Xanax. My ADHD makes me jittery. My depression makes me cry. I'm more messed up than ever. And I thought I could have a normal life. Ha. What a joke. I guess that today I'm Ihatemyfuckinglife Kindra.

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

The crime rate has been extremely low. So I just walk around New York. Sometimes I don't even put on the suit. Today is one of those days. I hear a girl's scream. Crap. I almost don't go but then the girl screams again.

"Please! Somebody help me!" I run over. I don't have the suit, but as long as I don't use the web shooters then I can still get the girl out of there.

"Oh, you're a rich girl." The mugger says to her. "You're a pretty one too." I can't see either of them because it's so dark and the lighting out here is really crappy, causing lots of shadows.

"Please, just let me go!" The girl says. I can see the guy's face now. He looks to be about twenty or so. He holds both of the girls wrists with his hands.

"No way. You're too pretty. You get special treatment. I have a few friends at home." He says. The girl pulls away from him but he catches her again twisting an arm behind her back. Putting the other around her neck. "You're coming with me. You hear? Don't fight or I swear to God I'll-"

"Hey man, let her go." I say finally coming out. The mugger pulls out a gun and points it at me. I put my hands up. "I don't want to hurt anyone." I say.

"Neither do I. Just leave and nobody gets hurt." The guy says.

"I just want you to let her _go_." I say slowly. The guy holds the gun an inch away from her head. He steps out into the light and I see the girl. Only one person I know would wear shorts with a long sleeve shirt pulled down to the knuckles in July. It's Kindra.

"Make one move, and I pull the trigger." He says. Kindra glances at me. From his face to mine.

"_Go_." She mouths. I shake my head at her. The guy looks at her, then me.

"So you two know each other?" He asks amused.

"No." Kindra spits. "I just don't want anyone to get hurt."

"Well, no matter what, something's going to happen to you." The guy says. I don't let pretty girls like you just slip away." He grabs her face and kisses her. It's more like putting his mouth on hers and sticking his tongue out so I can see it but it's enough to make me run at him. He holds the gun right on her temple and cocks the pistol. I take a few steps back. "Oh, not so big and strong anymore are you?"

"Let her go and fight me if you're so tough." I dare. He looks at me and smirks.

"Sure." The mugger says. He pushes Kindra to the floor and takes a swing at me. I just dodge it. He keeps trying to hit me and I just dodge him. Kindra stands up and barely even comes over when the mugger pushes me to the ground and slaps her clear across the face and it makes a loud cracking noise. She lets out a small cry and falls to the floor.

"Stay down there!" He shouts at her. I come up behind him and punch him so hard he's knocked out. I look around to make sure no one is watching and I tie him up against the brick wall with webbing. I kneel down next to Kindra.

"Pssst." I whisper. "Kindra?" She lets out a small moan. The slap really knocked the wind out of her. "Come on." I say scooping her up. "Help me out a little bit." I whisper and she straightens herself out and adjusts in my arms. Slowly she wraps her arms around my neck and rests her head against my chest. "You weren't kidding when you said you were a danger magnet." I whisper. I think she shakes her head. I could just use webbing, but I don't. Instead I go the long way and walk across town to take her home. Because- oh what the heck, might as well admit it- I like having her around me. Carrying her like a child while she lets out the occasional moan. I've missed her. The last time I held Kindra like this was when I ran into the hostpital. But that was completely different. She was covered in blood and sweat. She dangled in my arms and I'd thought she was dead. I ran in there frantic screaming for a doctor. What a sight to see. Spider-Man carrying a girl into an ER pleading for help. Then they took her away and hooked her up to all those tubes and I was so scared I would lose her. Kindra came back to me after awhile, but not completely. This might be my chance to keep her.

"Peter," She whispers.

"Hmm?"

"Thank-you." Kindra says softly and slowly. She whispers something else but I can't hear her. I walk a few more blocks and she starts to doze off. Finally we get to her house.

"Kindra?" I ask. She stirs slightly. "I need to get us over the gates now." She nods a little and I hold her upright and get us over, then onto her balcony. I lift up her legs again. She moans again but stays still and I walk through to open doors on her balcony. Kindra's eyes peek open a little bit and she kicks off her sandals. She's like a child, I pull back the sheets on her bed and lay her down. I pull off her glasses and set them on the side table. I hold her hand. "Good night." I begin to walk away but she still holds my hand.

"Stay." She moans softly.

"What?" I ask even though I know what she said.

"Please Peter, stay." Kindra repeats. She moves over in her bed. "Pleeeease." Kindra still sounds like herself and she gives me a crooked grin.

"Okay." I say giving in. I sit on the edge of her bed.

"Take off your shoes!" Kindra mumbles. I laugh at her being completely herself. I pull off my shoes and she smiles. "Good." I laugh again and slide into the bed with her. Wow. What a thing to say. _Into the bed with her._ Kindra snuggles up to me resting her head my shoulder. I hold one of her hands. "I missed you rock park keeper."

"I missed you too, my beautiful thorn." I whisper back.

"You said _my._" She giggles softly. "That's so romantic."

"What kind of meds are you on?" I ask. Kindra giggles again.

"Something with loopyness as a side effect." She says.

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

He carried me home. He stayed. He's holding me right now. I don't hate Peter Parker. I love Peter Parker. I don't fuckinghatemylife. Ifuckinglovemylife.

I. Go. To. Sleep.

I. Have. Nightmares.

"Kindra, Kindra what's wrong?" Peter asks. I open my eyes and look at the clock on my table. 4:02am.

"Nightmares." I whisper burrying my head in his chest.

"You have nightmares?" He asks. I keep my eyes shut and tighten my grip on his hand.

"Don't you?" I ask. "The kitchen sink, broken glass, the color orange..."

"Shhh." Peter whispers pressing his lips into my hair. I've wanted him, I've wanted _this_ for so long and he's finally here. We're not the two teenagers sitting at a piano bench anymore. We're young adults. I'm broken, searching for a way to be repaired. Peter's past is a mystery, he's trying to search for the truth. Maybe we can search together. "Sleep Kindra." He whispers into my hair. I come as close to him as possible, holding his hand, my other arm wrapped around his neck. I have the song in my head again and I close my eyes. Half singing, half whispering.

_"Steal my heart and hold my tongue.  
I feel my time, my time has come.  
Let me in, unlock the door.  
I've never felt this way before._

_The wheels just keep on turning,_  
_The drummer begins to drum,_  
_I don't know which way I'm going,_  
_I don't know which way I've come._

_Hold my head inside your hands,_  
_I need someone who understands._  
_I need someone, someone who hears,_  
_For you, I've waited all these years._

_For you, I'd wait 'till kingdom come._  
_Until my day, my day is done._  
_And say you'll come, and set me free,_  
_Just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me."_

I almost start the next set of lyrics but I begin to fall asleep. I have Peter now, I don't need to be normal. If I have Peter, then I _can't_ be normal. But that's a good thing. I can't look at a sink without screaming, I hate the color orange, there are scars on my wrists that will never go away, and a villian used to live inside me.

Normal was never an option.

**...**

**GO BACK TO THE TOP OF THE PAGE! DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT READING WHAT'S BELOW OR YOU'LL RUIN IT FOR YOURSELF! THERE ARE CHAPTER SPOILERS DOWN HERE! DO NOT READ WHAT IS BELOW UNLESS YOU'VE READ THE CHAPTER! GO YOU FOOLISH KUMQUAT! GO!**

**Sorry about that. CERTAIN PEOPLE cheated and scrolled down to the bottom of the page without reading this chapter because I said there was something important at the end of it. Well, I wanted to wait until Kindra and Peter were back together again (TOLD YOU THERE'D BE SPOILERS YA' DUMB PLUM!) before I told this to ya'll. Okay then, here it goes:**

**I'm writing a sequal! Yay! Right? Here's the fun part, I want you guys to pick the villian! I'm tied between three so please vote.**

**1) Green Goblin II**

**2) Dock Ock**

**3) Black Cat**

**Okie dokie then. PM or comment your pick and I'll tell you who it is in the epilouge! As Kindra would say, "Bye Byes!"**


	27. Chapter 27

**Hey! Sorree, I had writers' block! But now I'm "cured" of it. I haven't gotten too many reviews, I'm not complaining, but just let me know if things are too heavy or fluffy for too long. CONSTRUCTIVE criticism. And remember to vote on which villain will be in VTS2 becaus I haven't gotten that many votes. In case you forgot or have short-term memory loss here are your options one more time:**

**1) Green Goblin II**

**2) Dock Ock**

**3) Black Cat**

**Okay then. Also: If there is a tie a team-up is possible... *smirks* Vote via comment or PM and here's your next chapter!**

Chapter 27- Remember This?

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

The first thing that I notice when I wake up is Kindra's arm lying across my chest. Only she would wear a cotton long sleeve in the middle of July. Even asleep, the pale blue fabric is covering everything but her fingernails. Kindra's head rests on my shoulder with her hair laid out perfectly, not a trace of bed head. She rustles the bed sheets slightly, but just comes closer to me. I always heard that people look younger in their sleep and I guess it's true. When I look at Kindra I see a fourteen year old girl in love with science wondering when her father will hurt her next. She scrunches her eyes for a moment, then they flutter open. Oh how I've missed those eyes. She looks at me and smiles.

"Well, there's an attractive man in my bed." Kindra says dreamily. "What should I do...?"

"You could make out with the attractive man." I suggest.

"No, I need to wake up before I make out with anyone attractive." She says.

"So, if I was unattractive would you make out with me before you woke up?" I joke.

"Maybe..." Kindra says reaching across me to grab her glasses. She adjusts them, blinks a few times, then pushes them up her nose.

"You look so cute when you do that." I whisper.

"What?" She asks.

"When you blink and push up your glasses." I say. Kindra smiles.

"And here I was all worried that you'd still be comparing me to Lotus." She says sitting up. I keep laying down, looking up at her.

"I wouldn't do that." I promise.

"What about other girl villains?" Kindra asks. "_Women_ villains?"

"I'll figure it out when the time comes." I say. "I thought you hated me."

"Oh my little rock park keeper, why would you think that?" She asks.

"You ignored me and said that you didn't fit into my life." I say.

"Peter, I'm on my own. There are no magazine articles or advice columns or any short stories in the Chicken Soup for the Soul books about what to do when you catch your boyfriend the superhero making out with one of his lady villains, who's you hypnotized my your Dad the super villain who's been terrorizing NYC." Kindra says. She takes a breath. "But I think I'm willing to try to figure it out on my own though. I'm willing to try."

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

Somehow we end up downstairs and I finger the piano keys with my eyes closed, not playing, just tracing. I end up playing endings and beginnings of songs and trailing off.

"Peter?" I ask keeping my eyes closed, still fiddling with the piano. "I liked you from the start. When did it happen for you?"

"Well, the first time I visited you as Spider-Man, I was checking to make sure Norman wasn't hurting you." He says slowly.

"Wait, you knew?" I ask opening my eyes and looking at him. He nods. I shrug and go back to the piano staring at the black and white keys so hard they fuzz up and become gray. "That's fine."

"The second time I began liking hanging out with you since we were friends at school." Peter explains. "Then, that day at school there was a blackout- That was the day that I noticed you."

"Because I took off my glasses?" I sigh.

"No, because you were just so... you." Peter says. "That's all it was. It's just you. Click your heels together Dorothy, it's always been you. When people say 'You don't know' or 'You don't get it' they mean that you don't see yourself the way others see you. You're just so pure."

"Pure?" I echo. "I can't look at anything orange without going into shock and you think I'm _pure_."

"Not in that way." Peter says. "You're just so you that it's amazing. You're not letting anyone or anything imprint on you. Like how you love science or that you don't like wearing contacts."

"I like my glasses! Is there a problem with that?" I ask.

"No! That's just it! Society wants you to wear contacts or at least different glasses but you stick with the ones you have. That's what I like about you!" Peter shouts. He leans in close and lowers his voice brushing his lips over my neck. "Remember that?"

"Yeah." I say smiling and pushing him back a bit. "I remember." I fiddle with my hands and Peter gets the message: When it comes to physical contact, I make the first move.

"That was my favorite." Peter says.

"Really?" I ask. "The first one was mine."

"You didn't have water in your nose, that's why." Peter jokes. "But I barely noticed it."

"OhmyGodImanidiot!" I shout. I jump off the piano bench and begin searching for my keys.

"What?" Peter asks.

"Today. It's today, I can't believe I forgot!" I shout running into the kitchen, I grab my keys off the table and poke my head around the corner. "It's your fault you know." I say. I go back into the kitchen and grab the first sweatshirt I can find; an _extremely_ thin transparent white one with extra long sleeves. I pull off my long sleeve leaving my cami on underneath. I pull the sweatshirt over my head.

"My fault?" Peter asks. "How is it my fault?"

"Because!" I shout pulling on my converse. I poke my head around the corner again. "You seduced me with your hazel eyes. I can't believe I almost forgot it!"

"What?" Peter shouts.

"The rain cloud!" I shout. "There's a really big one and it's going over this one tower and it's going to rain and it's cold rain! Come on! I've tracked this cloud since I moved here! I was so looking forward to this!"

"You want me to come with?" Peter asks. I nod my head vigorously.

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

"This feels like we're in _Twister_." I say. Kindra keeps her eyes on the road, glancing at the suddenly dark sky. We end up at a red light.

"Dammit!" She shouts slamming her head on the steering wheel. Kindra looks up and grabs my jaw pointing at the sky. "See that big sliver blob?"

"Yeah." I say, but I sound weird because of her grip.

"It's not dark, which means the rain isn't going to come out yet. We might miss the sprinkling, but as long as we're there when it really starts to pour.

"Won't it be like that all over New York?" I ask.

"Yeah, but that cloud is almost two miles closer to the ground than all the others, so I'll be closer to the rain."

"Cool." I say. "Can you let go of my face now?"

"Oh, sorry." She says letting go of my face. I move my jaw around, Kindra has a pretty tight grip. The light turns green and she slams the gas pedal.

"Okay then, you really want your cloud don't you?" I ask. She nods so hard her hair flies all over the place. Kindra fixes it at the next red light, and that one strand still falls perfectly over her right eye. "Crap, we're stuck in traffic, and who knows how long it'll take to get to the top of the building anyways."

"I can help you know." I offer.

"How, Peter? It's not like we can just fly over the city or something like th-" Kindra stops and smiles at me. I unzip my backpack showing the contents.

"Pull into that parking lot and I'll pick you up." I say opening the car door and jumping out. I get a bunch of horns and a few fingers but I get out of sight and change quickly. I find Kindra in the parking lot I pointed out. I throw my bag into her car and pick her up as quickly as possible. Kindra lets out a shout of excitement as we get closer to the tower. Some fancy looking skyscraper with shiny windows. The top of the building looks like it's in construction because of the huge crane on top, and tarp covering the far west corner. But it doesn't seem like there's anyone working on it now.

"Okay, the cloud got dark really fast..." Kindra says excited. "Peter, I know that two miles closer to the ground doesn't seem like much, but really it's a lot. It means that-"

"Kindra, I'm a science nerd too. I know that this is cool." I say cutting her off. She nods her head. I pull off my mask.

"Hey, look at this." Kindra say running over to a tall silver post.

"What's that?" I ask. She makes a face at me.

"I thought you were a science nerd too." She sneers. "It's a lightning rod. It attracts lightning, Benjamin Franklin invented it. He made it so that lightning would strike the rod, rather than the building, to prevent a fire or electrocution."

"So do you think any lightning will strike it?" I ask.

"I don't know, but it would be totally awesome!" Kindra shouts. She removes her glasses and sets them down. "It's starting..." About two seconds after she says that it starts to sprinkle. Then drizzle. Then an all out downpour. And she looks so free.

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

The downpour is even better than I thought. The paper-thin sweatshirt I have on clings to my skin. This is one of my dumb days because I _knew_ it was going to rain and yet here I am wearing white. Peter comes up behind me and dumps his mask filled with water all over my head. I squeal and chase him around shaking my wet hair everywhere. I can't stop smiling. This is more awake than I've ever been.

"Hey," Peter says pulling his mask back on. "Remember this?" He shoots webs to the bottom of the hooky thingy on the crane and suspends himself upside-down. I walk over. The whole world is gray and green and silver and black and brown.

And red and blue.

"We seem to keep finding each other don't we?" Spider-Man asks. I smile and nod my head.

"It would seem that way." I say.

"So Naveen the beautiful. You're not wearing your glasses today." He says.

"I see better without them in the rain." I tell him smiling. "Isn't all the blood rushing to your head?"

"No, not really." Peter says. "Why? Is my face red?" I laugh. I lean really close to his face and whisper super soft,

"Remember this?" Each raindrop on my skin excites me. My head is swirling. I reach out and peel down his mask. I stop before it reaches his nose. Whoa. Major déjà vu... _Focus Kindra. FOCUS!_ My heart is thumping. I have no idea what's happening in my stomach. Butterflies? More like moths. You'd think it'd be _less_ nerve-racking the second time. Peter smiles. He knows where I'm going with this. And he's not stopping me. I return his smile. I lean in and kiss him. I'm kissing a superhero. I'm kissing a superhero in the rain. I'm kissing a superhero upside-down in the rain. His hands reach out to hold my face and I grab his neck. I'm a dorky seventeen year old again. I don't want this to ever end. Because I love Peter, I really do. We'll never be those two kids working on an assignment about name meanings again. Everyday it used to feel like everything was the same, now looking back it's all so different. I wish I'd spent more time with Peter, telling him more secrets, keeping him close when I was lonley or scared and not push him away. I wish that when he was Spider-Man I'd let him come near me more, I can't get that time back. Peter and I will have to work harder now, but we'll work together. So I just let myself enjoy this moment. I let myself melt away, deepening the kiss, letting Peter's lips tease mine. He's warm under all this cold wetness, and he smells like the rain. His hand goes through my hair, tracing through my scalp. I can't stop now, but I have to breathe. Curse you, human need for oxygen. Just like the first time, when I pull away, Peter laughs while I gasp. This time, I smile. Peter comes from his upside-down spot and lands in front of me.

"I remember that." He says coming in close. He pushes back the strand of hair that always falls over my right eye back. "Do you remember this?" He says bringing my face to his and kissing me again. He holds my jaw like he always used to and I get that giddy fan-girl feeling again. I sneak my arms around Peter's neck until my fingers interlock. I come closer to him until the only thing seperating us is spandex and thin white cotton. I kick my feet off the ground, Peter has no trouble lifting me. I wrap my legs around his torso, just kissing. Feeling his tongue in my mouth and vice versa.

How looooong has it been? I'm still kissing Spider-Man, but somehow I've ended up on my feet again. Finally Peter and I break away at the same time, smiling and gasping and even laughing. I think I might even be crying a bit too. I stare down at my fingers, curled up on Peter's chest heaving up and down and up and down.

"Yeah," I say after awhile. "I remember that. Now do you know why the first one was my favorite?"

"Yeah." Peter says laughing. "Now I understand." I look up at the sky, rain still pouring down. I look at Peter again, and I slowly lift off his mask. I'm gazing again. My hand goes through his wet hair, now I see why he does this to me and-

_BAM!_

Lightning hits the lightning rod and I turn my head in time to see the shower of sparks fall and pop. I turn to Peter and we both break into huge smiles.

"That. Was. AWESOME!" I scream jumping up and down.

**...**

**YAY! I FINALLY GOT TO WRITE FLUFF! The sad part is that next we have the epilouge. NO! But also YAY because then you find out who the villain is... So you have to vote, otherwise your favorite may not make it. (Whoa, I felt like Ryan Seacrest there...) Remember, TEAM UPS ARE POSSIBLE. And, lemons will be written if requested. So go and vote for your pick! (Once again, R.S. moment.)**


	28. Epilogue

**Hellow everyone. Funny bit at the beginning. Big speech and new villain at the end. READ.**

Epilogue

* * *

... KINDRA ...

* * *

Peter took me home and walked me to the door in the pouring rain like a true gentlemen. Then he gave me a good-night kiss like a true gentleman. It turned into us having two hour makeout session in the rain like true teenagers. Finally I pull away from him when I hear a muffled noise from his backpack. I slide my hands down his arms and into my pockets awkwardly. Then I open my stupid mouth.

"You should-"

"Yeah." Peter says. "I need to-"

"I'll just go inside." I say pointing to the door.

"Um, maybe we could..." Peter trails off. "Or, you know, we could-"

"Sure, either one." I say smiling. He laughs a bit, then nods his head and turns around to walk away. I go to open the door but when I look at him he's doing that goofy skippy-jumpy thing. I shake my head and laugh twisting the doorknob. I shut the door behind me in a split second pressing my back against the dark wood. I tilt my head back and stare up at the ceiling. I hold my hands together and place them over the center of my chest. I can't stop smiling. Slowly, I slide down the door until I sit on the ground with my knees to my chest. "Yes." I whisper to myself. Harry comes over and stands next to the door and slides down the same way I did. Harry sits next to me for a few moments before speaking.

"So, do you wanna tell me why you're soaked with that smile on you face or can I figure it out on my own?" He asks. In response I just smile at him then laugh a bit at the look on his face. I stare up at the ceiling.

"Peter and I are back together." I say closing my eyes and smiling with my teeth, something I never do.

"Oh, okay." Harry says. "Guess I should've known from the F.K.G. on your face."

"F.K.G.?" I ask still smiling. I don't think I'll ever stop.

"Freshly Kissed Glow." Harry says. I laugh.

"How do you know what it stands for and not me?" I ask. Harry shrugs.

"You really like him don't you?" He asks. I nod my head.

"He said he loves me." I say dreamily.

"Oh." Harry says. "And did you...?"

"I said that I love him." I answer. "I will never need antidepressants again."

"Okay." Harry says laughing. He gets up and leaves me sitting at the door. He turns out the light but I still stay. I still smile. "Good-night Kindra."

" 'Night Harry." I say still dazed.

* * *

... PETER PARKER ...

* * *

It's been almost an entire year since Naveen Briar came into my life. When someone you love dies, you never expect to love again. If it's family you can at least tell yourself they'd want you to move on. But when it's someone you loved in _that_ way, you feel like a criminal moving on in life. One moment you're planning your future together and the next you're planning the funeral. People always say opposites attract, but not in my case. Gwen and I had a lot in common, so do Kindra and I. Even though I know that I would want Gwen to move on if I had saved her and she was the one who lived, it's still hard. Every time that I leave and put on the mask I know that I might not return. Kindra knows that too, and it's hard for her, just like it was hard for Gwen. But we both have ways to stay busy. She has OSCORP, I have photography. Kindra has a hard time fitting into her new life. Harry helps her get through the stressful things, I help her get through the emotional things. I talk to Harry now. We act just like we did in Junior year, but underneath Harry has a science corporation to president. He doesn't know it, but I'm the one who saved his sister. Each day brings a new challenge. One day Kindra is planning out the funding and budget cuts, the next day she's screaming and sobbing, then smashing her fists into something. Her musical skills have developed a lot since I knew her and she plays even better than before. Kindra refuses to sing in front of anyone besides Harry and I, but that doesn't mean she's not good at it. Her friend Emily came to visit and seemed not at all bothered by her mental issues. The two of them promised to see each other again soon. I never really got to meet her, but Kindra is her best friend so she can't be all bad. I bought my apartment, knowing that I have too many things to hide in a dorm shared with a roommate. It's mid August now, and everyone is tying up loose ends. Aunt May cries a lot, and I feel awful having to leave her alone in that house with all the memories of her and Uncle Ben raising me. Kindra helps her. I doubted it when she offered to, but then I realized that she was the best person to help Aunt May. Some days I'll come to visit her and she'll be sitting at the table with Kindra. The first time Kindra spent the day with Aunt May as soon as she left Aunt May told me,

"She's a very special girl. Don't you let her go Peter."

The more time I spend seeing the different types of Kindra, the more I understand. Harry calls me when she has a breakdown, mostly because he knows he can't handle them. That, and both of us know she only listens to me when she's in Stage 5. That's what her therapist calls it. Stage 1 is when Kindra will get spacey and cry for no reason. Stage 2 is when you add hand twitching. Stage 3 is crying and laughing. Stage 4 is screaming. Stage 5 is an episode. Kindra has a new therapist, Dr. Hamilton, he's pretty good. There are group sessions. Harry and Kindra. Kindra and me. Harry and me. And just me by myself. Kindra and Harry have the same.

My future is set. Half of it anyways. I'll always be Spider-Man. That much I know. The rest of my life I'm unsure of. I might lose Kindra. I might let her go. _She_ might lose herself. But most days she's stable. Other days I have to spend the night with her and let a few guys get mugged. I like spending nights with her, she talks in her sleep. The most common thing I hear her say is 'I didn't do it' or 'I didn't mean to' or even 'Please, it's not my fault'. I hear my name in there too. 'Peter, my Peter.' On good days she sings in her sleep. Always the same song,

_Steal my heart and hold my tongue.  
I feel my time, my time has come.  
Let me in, unlock the door.  
I've never felt this way before._

_The wheels just keep on turning,  
The drummer begins to drum,  
I don't know which way I'm going,  
I don't know which way I've come._

_Hold my head inside your hands,_  
_I need someone who understands._  
_I need someone, someone who hears,_  
_For you, I've waited all these years._

_For you, I'd wait 'til kingdom come.  
Until my day, my day is done.  
And say you'll come, and set me free,  
Just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me._

_In your tears and in your blood,_  
_In your fire and in your flood,_  
_I hear you laugh, I heard you sing,_  
_"I wouldn't change a single thing."_

_The wheels just keep on turning,  
The drummers begin to drum,  
I don't know which way I'm going,  
I don't know what I've become._

_For you, I'd wait 'til kingdom come,_  
_Until my days, my days are done._  
_Say you'll come and set me free,_  
_Just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me._  
_Just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me._  
_Just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me._

I don't want her to get hurt, and she doesn't want to be hurt anymore. Kindra knows that choosing me could mean permanent damage, but she's willing to take the risk. I know that choosing her could mean damage to me as well, but I'm stronger than I was before. Both of us are.

This life is not an easy one. I've made enemies, powerful enemies. Put those I love in danger. But when your past is a mystery, how can you ever stop looking-

For the truth?

**...**

**Epic ending, and fade out... So now here comes the fun part: MY SPEECH. I want to thank all of you out there who had any part in this, the reveiws were lovely and they made my day. It was so much fun writing this, I can't even type out the word "kinda" without acciedentally typing "Kindra" anymore, and even when I use the word "kinda" I'm all like, "It looks so wrong without an R!" So I can't use the word kinda anymore! I've always loved Spider-Man in the comics, in the movies, and on my clothes! (I have a shirt coming in the mail any day now... I is such a nerd!) So to finally write a fic and then get such a great response, that is so awesome for me. Writing a Peter/O.C was hard at first, because I ADORE Peter and Gwen *dodges sharp object thrown by a MJ/Peter lover* HA! Missed me! And plus you read too many O.C./Character X fics out there where this O.C.s are all Mary-Sues and in some cases Gary-Stus. Now here come the thank-yous. Thank you to****, AlwaysQuinn, ArcticCactus, Avalongirl55, badwolfette21, biteyourtongue, Ceil, Chile Hadwing, Darman Skirata, Daughter-Of-Vulcan, finchelfanatic4ever, GeishaXnoXHimitsu, Hayleytylers, Invader Ivy, JamieKins1126, jammy kombat, jess1224, KrissyLynn1994, Ktrikku, La Victime, LadyTardis, Laurafxox, Little Miss Vampire 172, LittleLottie187, magsi09, Mastermind012, Mudkip Monster 64, Neko G, NotSupposedToBeHere, Partially Magic Pineapple, Pinegirl14, Poisonouslilly, R.J. North, Sally Fantastic, Sapphire Psycho, Sarahthecatlady, Sayuri Ninomiya, Shades-Soul, Shadowhunter the Archer, ShayRyder, Stupiderakun, Talee, TheHorseLady, Undapper Thoughts, Victorie Evans, Violentyetawesome, Wolflihood, Wolfsbane22, Yamimoto11, YANIsweetness7, yankee607, and Zaikia for following VTS. And thank-you to **** , Avalongirl55, badwolfette21, CharlotteDarkrose, cinnamonmyra1997, Darman Skirata, finchelfanatic4ever, forgetmenotflowers, GennaSarah, HaloDestroyer, Invader Ivy, jess1224, Kainna15, La Victime, LadyArtemis759, Little Miss Vampire 172, LittleLottie187, magsi09, Partially Magic Pineapple, Proud Eco Goth Girl, Sally Fantastic, Sayuri Ninomiya, Shades-Soul, Shadowhunter the Archer, snowflake13300, Spider-ManIsAGod, TheHorseLady, Violentyetawesome, XxElectriCxRawRxX, xXFlashylightsXx, YANIsweetness7, yankee607, and Zaikia for adding this story to their favorites.**

** Whoa, looks like were're getting a scene after the credits that you can always count in in Marvel movies... Just like the shawarma in Avengers! (Comment if you know what I'm talking about) Here it comes! (HAHA to those of you who left the theatre, I mean- didn't read this author note. You're missing the after-credits-scene!)**

* * *

... FELICIA HARDY ...

* * *

I will not be a victim. Like my dad always said, "Never settle for second best." I will not settle for second best. Never again. I can't have Ryan, I'll have something better.

I'm going to break my dad out of prison.

**...**

**DUN DUN DUN! Yeah, Black Cat is our new villain! She won by a landslide... So how will this affect Peter and Kindra? Find out in the VTS Sequal! Subscribe to this and I'll send out an alert! See you on the other side! (No clue what that's from, if it is from something. Eh, I'll remember later.)**


	29. Chapter 29 Not exactly

**Hi hi! This is NOT another chapter so don't get too excited. Actually you CAN get excited because I have uploaded VTS II: Us Against The World. I made a list of stuff to do first so see if you're up to the challenge. Eat peanut butter out of the jar and see how long it takes before someone yells at you, every time you see the color orange scream, apply to be a professional sitter at your local sitting agency, look at your eyes up close to see how they _really_ look, listen to Coldplay's Til' Kingdom Come, run in the rain, the next time you see lightning that lights up your whole house and it's followed by thunder that shakes your whole house shout "EPIC!" as loud as possible, refuse to do the dishes and when you're forced to look at a sink collapse on the floor shaking and twitching, visit a graveyard, go by your mother's name for a day, if you see a lotus flower walk in the opposite direction IMMEDIATELY, look up the meaning of your name, buy hideous Hawaiian shirts that look like rainbows have thrown up, pooped, and have had sex on them, play the piano even if you don't know how, ask your older brother to give you a piggyback ride, give your younger sister a piggyback ride, push up your glasses, go skateboarding, photograph something, wear red and blue, run around pointing your wrists at random stuff and shout "Thwip, thwip!", after doing the last one see if any organic webbing comes out, name your pet rock Peter, if you don't have a pet rock adopt one and name it Peter, if you can't adopt one then the next time you see a stray rock say "Hi Peter!", the next time something exciting happens to you and everyone around you is jumping and screaming randomly shout "WE'RE GOING TO DISNEYLAND!", ask a lizard to say hi to Dr. Connors for you, carve N.B+P.P into a tree, and finally go look for VTS II: Us Against The World.**

**Bye byes!**


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